Effect of CeO2 preparation method and Cu loading on CuO/CeO2 catalysts for methane combustion

CeO2 was synthesized by sol-gel, hydrothermal, nitrate thermal decomposition methods, respectively, and used as support to prepare CuO/CeO2 catalysts. According to characterization and reaction results, preparation method of CeO2 had a great influence on the physicochemical properties and activities of CuO/CeO2 catalysts. CuO with high dispersion and strong interaction with CeO2 was highly active in methane combustion, while CuO particles less associated with CeO2 showed less activity. The CuO catalyst supported on CeO2 which was prepared via nitrate thermal decomposition method showed the largest area, the smallest particle size, the highest dispersion of copper species and strong support metal interactions. Therefore, it presented the highest redox ability and activity for methane combustion. Activities of the catalysts with different copper content kept increasing until 5% Cu loading and from then on kept constant. Moreover, methane conversion decreased as methane space velocities increased on CuO/CeO2 catalyst. Addition of CO2 to the feed did not produce a significant effect on the catalytic activity, but the presence of H2O provoked a remarkable decrease on the activity of CuO/CeO2 catalyst.