CO oxidation on CuO/CeO2 catalyst prepared by solvothermal synthesis: influence of catalyst activation temperature

A series of CuO/CeO2 catalysts were prepared using a solvothermal method and a subsequent activation process. The influences of activation temperature (300-600 degrees C) on physicochemical properties and catalytic behavior of the prepared CuO/CeO2 catalysts have been investigated by XRD, SEM, Raman spectroscopy, S-BET measurement, XPS surface analysis, H-2-TPR, CO-TPD techniques, and CO oxidation testing. The catalyst activated at 450 degrees C was found to have the highest catalytic activity, which can be ascribed to its higher dispersion of Cu species, higher concentration of oxygen vacancies, and larger amount of more active lattice oxygen. The lower activity of the CuO/CeO2 catalysts activated at lower (<450 degrees C) and higher (>450 degrees C) temperatures are attributed to the weaker interaction between CuO and CeO2, and to the sintering of CuO nanoparticles, respectively.