Solid Solution Derived Cu Clusters on Partially Reduced CuCeO 2 with Abundant Oxygen Vacancies Enable Efficient Reverse Water Gas Reaction

Abstract The reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction provides a convenient approach to convert CO 2 to CO, which facilitates to achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. Herein, the Cu/CeO 2 catalyst prepared by a co‐precipitation method using a mixture of Na 2 CO 3 and NaOH at pH of 10 (sample Cu/CeO 2 ‐10) achieved an intrinsic reaction rate of 428.4 mmol ⋅ g cat −1 ⋅ h −1 with 100 % CO selectivity at 400 °C and CO 2 /H 2 ratio of 1 : 4, which is much higher than Cu/CeO 2 prepared by impregnation and other methods. Various characterizations showed the highest fraction of CuCeO 2 solid solution in the calcined Cu/CeO 2 ‐10, and formed highly dispersed Cu clusters (~2.5 nm) on partially reduced CuCeO 2 solid solution with abundant of oxygen vacancies upon reduction. The Cu and oxygen vacancies facilitates the activation of H 2 and CO 2 , respectively, resulting in lowered H 2 and CO 2 reaction orders. As a result, the synergy between the two components enhanced the overall RWGS activity with lowered activation energy. Moreover, the optimal catalyst is very stable in 24 h stability test without detectable agglomeration of Cu clusters.