The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the preparation method on CeO2-promoted Cu/γ -Al2O3 catalysts for the high temperature shift reaction using simulated waste-derived syngas (H2 + CO). To investigate the effect of preparation method on the CeO2-promoted Cu/γ-Al2O3 catalyst, we compared catalytic performance over Ce/Cu/γ-Al2O3, Ce-Cu/γ-Al2O3, Cu/Ce/γ-Al2O3, and Cu/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, and tried to explain the differences in catalytic performance with various characterization methods. The physico-chemical properties of the CeO2-promoted catalysts were characterized using surface spectroscopies such as BET, XRD, TPR, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and N2O-chemisorption. The catalyst characterizations were correlated with activity results in the high temperature shift reaction.

Magnetite (Fe3O4) has been prepared directly to avoid the reduction process prior to the H2 production from the high temperature water gas shift reaction of the simulated waste derived synthesis gas. Citric acid has been employed as a complexing agent for the direct synthesis of magnetite. Notably, without the reduction process, the catalyst prepared at the citric acid molar ratio of 1.0 showed 80% CO conversion at 350℃ at a gas hourly space velocity of 40,057 h-1.

Metal oxide promoted ceria-zirconia (Ce/Zr = 6/4) catalysts was applied to deoxygenation (DO) of oleic acid in batch mode at 300℃ under 1 bar of 20% H2/N2 condition. Metal oxide promoted ceria-zirconia catalysts were prepared by a co-precipitation method. As a result, Ni-Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 catalyst exhibited much higher oleic acid conversion, selectivity to C9 ~ C17 compounds (diesel fuel range), and oxygen removal efficiency than the others. This is due to the presence of free NiO species, synergy effect of nickel and Ce0.6Zr0.4O2, highest BET surface area, and the strong metal to support interaction (SMSI).

Ce(1-x)Zr(x)O2 catalysts were investigated for bio-diesel production from oleic acid using catalytic deoxygenation. In this study, deoxygenation reaction has been carried out at 300 oC under 1 bar of 20% H2/N2 pressure in batch mode. Ce(1-x)Zr(x)O2 catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation method. Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 catalyst showed the highest oleic acid conversion and C9~C17 selectivity. It has been found that the deoxygenation reaction depends strongly on the reduction property and depends partly on the crystallite size of Ce(1-x)Zr(x)O2. Thus, Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 can be selected as the most promising catalyst for deoxygenation reaction.

Simulated waste-derived synthesis gas has been tested for hydrogen production through water gas shift (WGS) reaction in the temperature range of 240oC ~ 400oC over supported Pt catalysts prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation method. MG30, MgO, ZrO2, Al2O3 and CeO2 were employed as supports for WGS reaction in this study. 1 wt.% Pt/ CeO2 catalyst exhibited the highest CO conversion as well as 100% CO2 selectivity. This is due to easier reducibility of Pt/CeO2 and high oxygen mobility and oxygen storage capacitiy of CeO2. Pt/CeO2 catalyst can be a promising catalyst for WGS reaction from waste-derived synthesis gas.