Effect of thermal treatments on the catalytic behaviour in the CO preferential oxidation of a CuO–CeO2–ZrO2 catalyst with a flower-like morphology

A Ce–Zr–Cu oxide system with a flower-like morphology was prepared by a slow co-precipitation method in the absence of any structure directing agent. Four portions of the oxide were thermally treated at four different temperatures (350 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C, 650 °C). The resulting materials samples were characterized by quantitative XRD, adsorption–desorption of N2 at-196 °C, SEM and TEM microscopy, –H2-TPR, XPS and Operando-XANES. All samples were tested in the preferential CO oxidation (CO-PROX) in the 40–190 °C temperature range. Thermal treatments were found to induce slight structural changes without altering the starting morphology of the samples. The samples treated at higher temperature 550–650 °C showed a quite interesting CO-PROX activity and selectivity in a temperature range suitable for a practical use within the FEMFC technology.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights▶ A nanostructured Ce/Zr/Cu oxide system with a flower-like morphology was prepared. ▶ The effect of four different thermal treatments on the active species was evaluated. ▶ The CO-PROX catalytic activity was correlated with the structural characteristics.