Catalytic properties of copper chromite ferrites in water gas shift reaction and hydrogen oxidation

Abstract

The catalytic properties of a series of copper chromite ferrite samples with the composition CuCr_2–xFe_xO₄ (where x = 0–2) and a spinel-type structure in reactions with reducing (water gas shift reaction, WGSR) and oxidizing (the oxidation of hydrogen) reaction atmospheres were studied. The samples were obtained by the thermal decomposition of mixed hydroxo compounds. The distribution of Cu²⁺ ions in the tetrahedral and octahedral crystallographic positions of spinel, which depends on the Cr³⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio, affects the apparent activation energy (E_a) in both of the reactions. In WGSR, E_a is ∼33 kJ/mol for CuCr₂O₄, in which Cu²⁺ ions mainly occupy tetrahedral positions, whereas E_a ≈ 100 kJ/mol for CuFe₂O₄, in which Cu²⁺ ions mainly occupy octahedral positions. In the reaction of hydrogen oxidation, E_a is ∼71 kJ/mol for CuCr₂O₄ or ∼42 kJ/mol for CuFe₂O₄. The value of E_a for the mixed chromite ferrites changes with the replacement of chromium ions by iron ions and, hence, with a ratio between the amounts of copper ions in the tetrahedral and octahedral oxygen positions of spinel.