XPS and DRIFTS operando studies of an inverse CeO2/CuO WGS catalyst: deactivating role of interfacial carbonates in redox activity

An inverse CeO2/CuO catalyst has been examined by XPS and DRIFTS spectroscopies under reactant mixtures relevant to the low temperature WGS process. It is shown that the presence of H2O in the reactant mixture promotes catalyst reduction by facilitating the decomposition of interfacial carbonate species which hinder the redox processes leading to generation of the species catalytically active in WGS.