Ordered mesoporous Cu–Co–CeO₂ catalyst for water-gas shift reaction at high temperature

Highly ordered mesoporous Cu–Co–CeO₂ composite catalysts with different Cu/Co ratios were synthesized via a nano-replication method using a mesoporous silica template with cubic Ia3d mesostructure, and the ternary oxide catalysts, thus obtained, were used for a water-gas shift reaction. Combined characterization results, using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption, and temperature-programmed reduction analysis techniques, reveal that the incorporation of copper and cobalt into the ceria lattice not only promotes the formation of structure defects, but also increases the redox properties. Furthermore, some CoO_x clusters, formed on the catalysts surface, which enhanced the catalytic activity at high temperature. Among the series of composite catalysts, the Cu₀₁Co₀₁Ce₀₈O₂ catalyst showed the highest catalytic performance with a zero methane yield.