ABSTRACT
Oxides are widely exploited as catalysts for the selective oxidation of hydrocarbons. They provide lattice oxygen in selective oxidation reactions and exchange it with oxygen gas (e.g. from air in the reactant stream). The periodic lattice oxygen loss for the hydrocarbon oxidation occurs because of reducing gases, despite the presence of gas phase oxygen in the reactant stream. This results in the formation of anion vacancies, local non-stoichiometry and defect structures as discussed in chapter 1.
