Effect of Ce Addition on Catalytic Activity of Cu/Mn Catalysts for Water Gas Shift Reaction

Cu/Mn/Ce catalysts for water gas shift (WGS) reaction were synthesized by urea-nitrate combustion method with the fixed molar ratio of Cu/Mn as 1:4 and 1:1 with the doping concentration of Ce from 0.3 to 0.8 mol%. The prepared catalysts were characterized with SEM, BET, XRD, XPS, $H_2$ -TPR, $CO_2$ TPD, $N_2O$ chemisorption analysis. The catalytic activity tests were carried out at a GHSV of $28,000h^{-1}$ and a temperature range of 200 to $400^{\circ}C$ . The Cu/Mn(CM) catalysts formed Cu-Mn mixed oxide of spinel structure ( $Cu_{1.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$ ) and manganese oxides ( $MnO_x$ ). However, when a small amount of Ce was doped, the growth of $Cu_{1.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$ was inhibited and the degree of Cu dispersion were increased. Also, the doping of Ce on the CM catalyst reduced the reduction temperature and the base site to induce the active site of the catalyst to be exposed on the catalyst surface. From the XPS analysis, it was confirmed that maintaining the oxidation state of Cu appropriately was a main factor in the WGS reaction. Consequently, Ce as support and dopant in the water gas shift reaction catalysts exhibited the enhanced catalytic activities on CM catalysts. We found that proper amount of Ce by preparing catalysts with different Cu/Mn ratios.