Improved Water-Gas Shift Performance of Au/NiAl LDHs Nanostructured Catalysts via CeO2 Addition

Supported gold on co-precipitated nanosized NiAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) was studied as an effective catalyst for medium-temperature water–gas shift (WGS) reaction, an industrial catalytic process traditionally applied for the reduction in the amount of CO in the synthesis gas and production of pure hydrogen. The motivation of the present study was to improve the performance of the Au/NiAl catalyst via modification by CeO₂. An innovative approach for the direct deposition of ceria (1, 3 or 5 wt.%) on NiAl-LDH, based on the precipitation of Ce³⁺ ions with 1M NaOH, was developed. The proposed method allows us to obtain the CeO₂ phase and to preserve the NiAl layered structure by avoiding the calcination treatment. The synthesis of Au-containing samples was performed through the deposition–precipitation method. The as-prepared and WGS-tested samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, N₂-physisorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in order to clarify the effects of Au and CeO₂ loading on the structure, phase composition, textural and electronic properties and activity of the catalysts. The reduction behavior of the studied samples was evaluated by temperature-programmed reduction. The WGS performance of Au/NiAl catalysts was significantly affected by the addition of CeO₂. A favorable role of ceria was revealed by comparison of CO conversion degree at 220 °C reached by 3 wt.% CeO₂-modified and ceria-free Au/NiAl samples (98.8 and 83.4%, respectively). It can be stated that tuning the properties of Au/NiAl LDH via CeO₂ addition offers catalysts with possibilities for practical application owing to innovative synthesis and improved WGS performance.