Promoted oxygen release from copper-ceria interfacial sites for selective hydrogen production.

The modulation of oxygen species is an effective strategy for selective H 2 production with relevant chemical looping processes. This paper describes the promoted oxygen release from CuO-CeO 2 redox catalysts for selective H 2 production in chemical looping oxidative steam reforming of methanol (CL-OSRM). Despite the complete oxidation of methanol from CuO, the excess H 2 production of CL-OSRM with respect to methanol steam reforming (MSR) increases linearly with the amount of active oxygen in CeO 2 induced by the copper-ceria interaction. In situ spectroscopic characterizations and mechanistic study demonstrate that copper-ceria interfacial sites induce oxygen release from CeO 2 to facilitate the partial oxidation of methoxy to formate species, which promotes the H 2 production rate. This study provides an instructive strategy for the construction of redox catalysts for selective H 2 production with chemical looping processes. [Display omitted] • An interfacial engineering strategy for selective hydrogen production is proposed. • The copper-ceria interaction activates the ceria oxygen species. • Interfacial oxygen species facilitate the partial oxidation of methoxy to formate species. • Stable performance and reversible structure can be maintained in redox cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]