Effect of Li2O – Doping on physicochemical, surface and catalytic properties of nanosized CuO–Mn2O3/cordierite system

Physicochemical, surface and catalytic properties of pure and Li2O-doped (0.75–3.0 mol%) CuO–Mn2O3 supported on cordierite (commercial grade) preheated in air at 500 °C were investigated using XRD, EDX, nitrogen adsorption at −196 °C and catalysis of CO-oxidation by O2 at 250 °C. The results revealed that treating the support material with 10 wt% of both CuO and Mn2O3 followed by heating in air at 500 °C which much increased its SBET (several folds) led to the formation of nanosized CuO and CuMn2O4 phases. Li2O-doping enhanced copper manganite (CuMn2O4) formation. The doping process increased effectively the surface concentration of both copper and manganese species due to an enhanced formation of CuMn2O4 on top surface layers of the doped system leading to an important increase in its catalytic activity.