Supported AuCu Alloy Nanoparticles for the Preferential Oxidation of CO (CO-PROX)

Abstract

The insertion of copper into the gold lattice forming gold-copper (AuCu) nanoalloys enhances the gold catalytic performance in reactions such as CO oxidation. Here, we compared the catalytic performance of 6 nm AuCu nanoparticles (NPs) supported on SiO2 (AuCu_SiO2), a non-reducible oxide, and CeO2 (AuCu_CeO2), a reducible one, under preferential oxidation of CO (CO-PROX). Under reaction conditions, the support nature impacted in the stabilization of different species on the catalyst surface. The AuCu_CeO2 was both more active and more stable, which was associated with the ability of CeO2 to stabilize the AuCu alloy phase under reaction conditions.