A study of co-precipitated bimetallic gold catalysts for water–gas shift reaction

Synthesis, testing and characterisation of bimetallic gold, Au–M on ceria as catalysts were carried out for low temperature water–gas shift reaction (WGS). Amongst the entire screened catalysts 3 wt% (Au–Pt)/CeO2 displayed the best WGS activity than the monometallic promotors, giving the light-off curve at the lowest temperature in the range 100–300 °C. (Au–Pd)/CeO2 also achieved the same activity but at a higher temperature. It was also found that WGS activity was strongly correlated with the surface reducibility which in turn depended on the modified local electronic band structure of promoted ceria. These results clearly suggest that the key role of bimetallic promoter may involve in facilitating the creation of defective reduced surface by exerting its local electronic effect on ceria to form the surface germinal –OH groups in water which act as active sites for enhanced WGS activity.