Ce(1-x)Mn(x)O(2) mixed oxides were used as supports for preparing 7%CuO/Ce(1-x)Mn(x)O(2) catalysts by impregnation for the preferential oxidation (PROX) of CO in excess hydrogen. Incorporating an appropriate amount of manganese into CeO(2) to form Ce(1-x)Mn(x)O(2) solution increased the mobility of lattice oxygen and improved performance of CuO/Ce(1-x)Mn(x)O(2) catalysts in the PROX of CO. CO oxidation proceeded at the interfacial perimeter through an interaction between CuO clusters and Ce(1-x)Mn(x)O(2), involving not only the redox behavior of CeO(2) but also that of MnO(x). The PROX reaction was not weakened as the fraction of manganese incorporated in the 7%CuO/Ce(1-x)Mn(x)O(2) catalysts increased up to 0.3. A small amount of doped Me and an appropriate amount of incorporated Al(2)O(3) could obtain a good candidate such as 7%CuO/Ce(0.9)Mn(0.1)O(2)-20%Al(2)O(3) for a PROX unit in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system for removing CO. Its activity was comparable with, and its selectivity was much larger than, that of the noble catalyst 5%Pt/Al(2)O(3). (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
