Cooperative effect of Ce and Pr in the catalytic combustion of ethanol in mixed Cu/CoMgAl oxides obtained from hydrotalcites

The cooperative effect of Ce and Pr in the modification of mixed copper and cobalt oxide catalysts which were synthesized starting from the co-precipitation method of a hydrotalcite structure was evaluated in the catalytic combustion of ethanol. The solids were characterized by XRD, XRF, H2–TPR, O2–TPD and N2 adsorption. The greatest catalytic performance was associated with the increase in the oxygen storage capacity and reducibility in the solids that contain rare earth elements (Ce–Pr) and with the improvement in the specific surface area. Additionally, the high selectivity towards CO2, which is the principal product in total oxidation, demonstrates that the solids modified with Cu and/or Co and promoted with rare earth elements, are excellent catalysts in the total oxidation of ethanol, evidencing a cooperative effect among the metals.

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► The enhanced catalytic activity has been explained in terms of the high surface area, reducibility and oxygen adsorption.
► The mixture of cobalt and copper in a 1:1 ratio leads to more active materials, showing a cooperative effect.
► The presence of Ce alone or combined with Pr, on the surface of the catalysts, notably favours the total oxidation of ethanol.