Copper catalysts prepared via microwave-heated polyol process for preferential oxidation of CO in H2-rich streams

Abstract The purposes of this study were to prepare a copper catalyst by the microwave-heated polyol (MP) process and subsequently to evaluate the feasibility of the preferential oxidation of CO (CO-PROX) in excess H 2 . A CeO 2 -TD support was firstly prepared by the thermal decomposition from Ce(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O precursor. For comparison, commercial ceria (CeO 2 -C) and activated carbon (AC) selected as support materials. Experimental results of CO-PROX indicated that the highest catalytic activity is achieved when the Cu/CeO 2 -TD used as catalysts. Correlating to the characteristic results, it is found that the CeO 2 -TD support prepared by the thermal decomposition has a large surface area and high mesoporosity; these properties contribute to the easy adsorption of pollutants and the effective dispersion of metal particles. Further investigation of feed composition found that Cu/CeO 2 -TD catalysts possess 100% CO conversion even existence of CO 2 and H 2 O in H 2 -rich streams at 150 °C. Besides, a decrease in CO conversion was clearly observed above 175 °C for Cu/CeO 2 -TD catalysts due to the reverse water gas shift reaction tending to reform CO from CO 2 and H 2 .