Selective oxidation of CO in excess hydrogen on copper—cerium-containing catalysts

Abstract

Selective oxidation of CO that is in mixtures enriched in H₂ was studied to investigate catalytic properties of the 0.5—80% CuO/Ce_0.7Zr_0.3O₂ system. The catalysts were prepared by the combined decomposition of copper, cerium, and zirconyl nitrates at 300 °C. The systems studied are active and stable under mild conditions of the process (80—160 °C) and at high space velocities (to 100000 h^–1) of the reaction mixture (2% CO, 1% O₂, 40—50% H₂). With an increase in the CuO content in the catalysts up to 20%, the degree of CO removal achieves 60% (120 °C and V = 35000 h^–1) and further does not change appreciably. The contribution of oxygen participation into CO oxidation is virtually independent of the copper concentration in the sample and ranges from 65 to 75%. The dependences of the Arrhenius equation parameters for CO and H₂ oxidation on the catalyst composition were determined, which makes it possible to calculate the conversion of reactants and selectivity of CO conversion under the specified conditions of the process. The addition of CO₂ and H₂O (12—15%) to the reaction mixture decreases the catalyst activity and simultaneously increases the selectivity of CO oxidation to 100%. It is shown by the TPR and X-ray diffraction methods that the combined decomposition of the starting Cu²⁺, Ce³⁺, and ZrO²⁺ nitrates produces solid solutions of oxides with a high content of CuO. The reductive pre-treatment of fresh samples of the studied catalysts results in the destruction of the solid solution and formation of highly dispersed Cu particles on the surface of Ce—Zr—O. These particles are active in CO oxidation.