Efficient Ce–Co composite oxide decorated Au nanoparticles for catalytic oxidation of CO in the simulated atmosphere of a CO(2) laser

Gold nanoparticles have a high activity for CO oxidation, making them suitable to be used in a CO(2) laser which maintains its efficiency and stability via the recombination of CO and O(2) produced by the CO(2) decomposition. However, the high concentration of CO(2) in the working environment greatly reduces the activity of the catalyst and makes the already unstable gold nanoparticles even more so. A novel Au/Ce-Co-O(x)/Al(2)O(3) gold catalyst, prepared by a deposition precipitation method in this study, displays high activity and good stability for CO oxidation in a simulated atmosphere of a CO(2) laser with the feed gases containing a high concentration of CO(2) up to 60 vol% but a low concentration of O(2) for the stoichiometric reaction with CO. An excellent performance for CO oxidation under CO(2)-rich conditions could be achieved by decorating the surface of the Al(2)O(3) support with Ce–Co composite oxides. The strong interaction between gold and the composite support, accompanied by the increase of labile lattice oxygen species and the decrease of surface basicity, led to a high CO oxidation rate and resistance towards CO(2) poisoning.