Alumina supported nano-platinum on copper nanoparticles prepared via galvanic displacement reaction for preferential carbon monoxide oxidation in presence of hydrogen

Abstract

Improved catalytic centres with a minimum mass-loading of expensive platinum (Pt) have been anticipated for various catalytic applications, for instance preferential oxidation (PROX) of carbon monoxide (CO) in the presence of Hydrogen. Here, we report the synthesis of nano-Pt on the surface of copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) supported on γ-Al2O3 (Ptn(Cu)/γ-Al2O3) via galvanic displacement reaction (GDR) for the catalytic CO-PROX reaction. Ptn(Cu)/γ-Al2O3 showed much improved CO-PROX performance compared to that of the as-synthesized Ptl(Cu)/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Importantly, no significant conversion of hydrogen at a lower temperature range (<200 °C) is observed during the CO-PROX reaction which is one of the essential prerequisites for the CO-PROX reaction. Moreover, Ptn(Cu)/γ-Al2O3 showed the durable, long-term catalytic CO-PROX performance for 120 h. These results infer that realization of nano-Pt on the surface of the Cu NPs holds the promise as the catalytic centres with the minimum mass-loading of Pt for the CO-PROX reaction.