Characterization and catalytic performance of copper-based WGS catalysts derived from copper ferrite

摘要

A series of copper ferrite-based catalysts were prepared by the co-precipitation method using KOH, K_2CO_3, Na_2CO_3, NaOH, and NaHCO_3 as the precipitants and their physico-chemical properties were investigated by N_2-physisorption, SEM, XRD, FT-IR, Raman, H_2-TPR, N_2O decomposition, and CO_2-TPD. The characterization results indicated that the utilization of KOH as precipitant was favorable for the formation of copper ferrite, which exhibited smaller crystalline and higher reducibility. The catalytic test in the water-gas shift reaction (WGSR) revealed that the sample prepared with the KOH as precipitant exhibited higher activity and thermal stability than the other samples. It was suggested that higher Cu dispersion, larger amount of surface copper atoms, weak basic sites, and strong interaction between copper and iron oxides resulting from the copper ferrite were responsible for the high catalytic performance.