Reactive removal of surface oxygen by H2, CO and CO/H2 on a Au/CeO2 catalyst and its relevance to the preferential CO oxidation (PROX) and reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction

CO and H₂ compete for the same active surface (lattice) oxygen species, but with a much lower reduction efficiency of H₂ compared to CO and CO–H₂ mixtures, during removal of active oxygen from a Au/CeO₂ catalyst by H₂, CO or CO/H₂ at temperatures between 30 and 300 °C.