Infrared study of carbon monoxide hydrogenation over rhodium/ceria and rhodium/silica catalysts

TLDR: In this article, a new absorption band was observed near 1,725 or 1,696 cm{sup {minus}1} on a reduced 5% Rh-5% CeO-sub 2/SiO{sub 2} or 5% RH/CeO{ sub 2} catalyst, respectively.

Abstract: Carbon monoxide hydrogenation over ceria-promoted Rh or Rh/SiO{sub 2} catalysts was investigated by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In the chemisorption of CO at room temperature, a new absorption band was observed near 1,725 or 1,696 cm{sup {minus}1} on a reduced 5% Rh-5% CeO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} or 5% Rh/CeO{sub 2} catalyst, respectively. This new absorption band was attributed to a C- and O-bonded species, located at the metal/support interface. The appearance of this species was related to the shift to lower temperatures of the peak ascribed to CO dissociation in the temperature-programmed desorption spectra after CO adsorption. A flow high-pressure IR cell allowed to study the surface species in situ during CO + H{sub 2} reaction and to follow the reactivity of these species toward pure H{sub 2}. The results suggest that the drop in methane formation may be related to a lower reactivity of surface carbon in the presence of the promoter.