Au/α-Fe2O3 catalyst for water–gas shift reaction prepared by deposition–precipitation

Abstract A modified version of the preparation methods for the synthesis of highly-active Au/α-Fe 2 O 3 catalysts for WGS reaction has been proposed. The results obtained show that gold dispersion is highly preserved and prevents cluster formation. On the other hand, a major part of gold remains on the surface, thus being accessible to catalysis. As a result of the preparation technique, it seems that the interaction between gold and support is weaker and, likely, more favourable for catalysis. This study demonstrates that a specific approach to preparation of catalysts of optimum structure and texture is crucial for high-catalytic activity.