CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Copper oxides have catalytic activity in numerous oxidation reactions and in recent years the attention has been focused on the study of catalysts based on these phases, due to their lower cost compared to other formulations based on noble metals. In addition, the catalytic performance of these oxides can be maximized if they are arranged on the surface of micro-reactors1. For this reason, it is interesting to synthesize CuOx nanostructures in substrates that can be used in these applications. An alternative is the in-situ growth of CuOx on copper substrates, by oxidation treatments. Recent studies have reported the oxidation of Cu substrates by direct heating in air2,3 or by using vapors of ammonia and H2O24. Both methods can generate CuOx nanostructures on the surface of the substrate that give rise to the formation of nanometric interstices. In this context, the aim of this work is to synthesize CuOx nanostructured films on copper foils with micro-channels and then modify them with CeO2 nanoparticles as a promoter. Subsequently, these systems were tested in a micro-reactor using the catalytic oxidation of CO as a test reaction.