Self-regeneration of a Ni–Cu alloy catalyst during a three-way catalytic reaction

Ni–Cu alloy supported on γ-Al2O3 catalysts prepared by high-temperature hydrogen reduction exhibit high catalytic activity and durability for a three-way catalytic reaction under both oxidative and reductive conditions because of their self-regenerating feature. DFT calculations showed that Ni-oxide was reduced to Ni metal by CO in the presence of Cu metal because of the Ni–Cu alloy effect but was not in the absence of Cu metal.