Highly Efficient Catalysis of Preferential Oxidation of CO in H2-Rich Stream by Gold Single-Atom Catalysts

Botao Qiao, Jiaxin Liu, Yang Gang Wang, Qingquan Lin, Xiaoyan Liu, Aiqin Wang, Jun Li, Tao Zhang, Jingyue Liu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

364 Scopus citations

Abstract

Preferential oxidation of CO (PROX) in H2-rich stream is critical to the production of clean H2 for the H2-based fuel cells, which provide clean and efficient energy conversion. Development of highly active and selective PROX catalysts is highly desirable but proved to be extremely challenging. Here we report that CeO2-supported Au single atoms (Au1/CeO2) are highly active, selective, and extremely stable for PROX at the PEMFC working temperature (μs 80 °C) with >99.5% CO conversion over a wide temperature window, 70-120 °C (or 50-100 °C, depending on the Au loading). The high CO conversion realized at high temperatures is attributed to the unique property of single-atom catalysts that is unable to dissociatively adsorb H2 and thus has a low reactivity toward H2 oxidation. This strategy is proven in general and can be extended to other oxide-supported Au atoms (e.g.; Au1/FeOx), which may open a new window for the efficient catalysis of the PROX reaction.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6249-6254
Number of pages6
JournalACS Catalysis
Volume5
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 6 2015

Keywords

  • carbon monoxide
  • electron microscopy
  • gold
  • preferential oxidation
  • single-atom catalysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • General Chemistry

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