COPPER-CERIUM INTERACTION ON CuO-CeO2 CATALYSTS FOR THE CO PREFERENTIAL OXIDATION (PROX)

F. MARIÑO; N. BION; F. EPRON; G. BARONETTI; M. LABORDE; D. DUPREZ

Mérida, México

Simposio; HYPOTHESIS VII (HYdrogen – POwer THeoretical and Engineering Solutions International Symposium),; 2007

CuO-CeO2 catalyst precursors were synthesized by the homogeneous thermal decomposition of the urea. Catalysts containing different Cu/Ce ratios were obtained after calcination of the precursors at 450°C and characterized by XRD and TPR. Catalytic tests were performed in the temperature range 100-300°C to evaluate the activity of these samples for the COPROX reaction. The catalytic activity of the samples for both CO and H2 oxidation reactions increases as the copper loading increases. A strong synergy between Cu and Ce is confirmed by the difference in the catalytic activity of the individual oxides (CuO and CeO2) and a mechanical mixture of both oxides. Nitric acid washed catalysts, especially high copper content samples, are more active than the untreated catalysts suggesting that the washing procedure could remove copper clusters that block active sites of the original catalyst