Fine-tuning catalysts: The role of support nanomorphology in shaping Cu/CeO2 CO-PROX properties

DOI

<p><span lang="EN-GB">Understanding how oxide nanomorphology directs metal–support interactions is key to designing selective, low-cost catalysts. The preferential oxidation of CO (CO-PROX) is vital for purifying H₂ streams for fuel cell applications, as even trace CO strongly poisons the electrode catalysts. Cu/CeO<sub>2</sub> systems provide a cost-effective alternative to noble metals, yet the influence of ceria morphology on performance remains unclear. Here, we compare low-loaded Cu catalysts supported on CeO<sub>2</sub> nanospheres and nanocubes. Although distinct in shape, electron microscopy, low-temperature CO adsorption infrared spectroscopy, and DFT calculations reveal surface reconstructions in nanocubes that diminish structural differences between the two supports. Nevertheless, the Cu/nanosphere catalyst shows higher CO oxidation activity, while the Cu/nanocube catalyst offers superior CO₂ selectivity and a broader full-conversion temperature window. In situ DRIFTS and DFT attribute these contrasts to stronger CO adsorption sites in the nanocube system. Copper speciation and the nature of surface carbonyls were resolved through complementary techniques including STEM-HAADF imaging, XEDS mapping, EPR, and CO adsorption IR spectroscopy, together with DFT. These results demonstrate that subtle variations in ceria morphology steer interfacial chemistry and reaction pathways, providing design principles for next-generation Cu-based catalysts for CO-PROX and related oxidation reactions.</span></p>

Identifier
DOI https://doi.org/10.24435/materialscloud:9m-z3
Related Identifier https://archive.materialscloud.org/communities/mcarchive
Related Identifier https://doi.org/10.24435/materialscloud:km-3d
Metadata Access https://archive.materialscloud.org/oai2d?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_dc&identifier=oai:materialscloud.org:5p2rt-3b049
Provenance
Creator Fernández Villanueva, Estefanía; Pérez-Bailac, Patricia; Lustemberg, Pablo G.; Hungría, Ana B.; Pascual, Laura; Cataluña, Renato; Vidal-Moya, Jose A.; Blasco, Teresa; Ganduglia-Pirovano, M. Verónica; Martínez-Arias, Arturo
Publisher Materials Cloud
Contributor Hungría, Ana B.; Ganduglia-Pirovano, M. Verónica; Martínez-Arias, Arturo
Publication Year 2025
Rights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess; Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
OpenAccess true
Contact archive(at)materialscloud.org
Representation
Language English
Resource Type info:eu-repo/semantics/other
Format text/markdown; text/plain; application/gzip
Discipline Materials Science and Engineering