Surface properties of palladium supported on cerium oxide and its catalytic activity for methanol decomposition

Abstract

Cerium oxide can be partially reduced with hydrogen at 300°C in presence of palladium particles on the surface while palladium is rather oxidized in stead. The reduction may proceed in the following process; PdO+H2→Pd+H2O and 2 CeO2+Pd→Ce2O3+PdO. In the Pd/CeO2 samples prepared by a deposition-precipitation method, the strong contact between palladium particles and the support can cause enhancement of carbon monoxide adsorption on cerium oxide at room temperature and higher catalytic activity for the methanol decomposition to carbon monoxide and hydrogen than that produced with the sample prepared by the conventional impregnation technique.