Characterization and catalytic properties of combustion synthesized Au/CeO2 catalyst

Abstract

Ceria-supported Au catalyst has been synthesized by the solution combustion method for the first time and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Au is dispersed as Au0 as well as Au3+ states on CeO2 surface of 20-30 nm crystallites. On heating the as-prepared 1% Au/CeO2 in air, the concentration of Au3+ ions on CeO2 increases at the expense of Au0. Catalytic activities for CO and hydrocarbon oxidation and NO reduction over the as-prepared and the heat-treated 1% Au/CeO2 have been carried out using a temperature-programmed reaction technique in a packed bed tubular reactor. The results are compared with nano-sized Au metal particles dispersed on α-Al2O2 substrate prepared by the same method. All the reactions over heat-treated Au/CeO2 occur at lower temperature in comparison with the as-prepared Au/CeO2 and Au/Al2O2. The rate of NO + CO reaction over as-prepared and heat-treated 1% Au/CeO2 are 28.3 and 54.0 μmol g-1 s-1 at 250 and 300 °C respectively. Activation energy (Ea) values are 106 and 90 kJ mol-1 for CO + O2 reaction respectively over as-prepared and heat-treated 1% Au/CeO2 respectively.