Alumina contribution to CO oxidation: A TPR and IR study

The alumina contribution to CO oxidation in the absence of O2 on metal oxide supported catalysts was investigated by CO TPR and in-situ FTIR and DRIFT studies up to 800 °C. These tests were performed on two Al2O3 supported catalysts (1 wt.% Pt/La/γ-Al2O3 and 8 wt.% Cu/γ-Al2O3) and on two corresponding alumina supports (5 wt.% La2O3 stabilised γ-Al2O3 and high mechanical resistant spherical γ-Al2O3 particles). The quantitative determination of CO consumption and CO2 and H2 formation on the alumina supports was in agreement with a WGS reaction occurring between surface OH and CO with a predominantly 2:1 stoichiometry. In the CO TPR of metal oxide supported catalysts, in addition to the reduction of the metal, a WGS reaction took place with enhanced kinetics. This enhancement was the result of a CO spillover phenomenon from the metal to alumina hydroxyls. This phenomenon significantly affected the evaluation of the reduction degree of the supported metal and could not be neglected in the subsequent calculations.