Oxidation of CO on supported IrCu catalysts

The activity of silica gel-supported IrCu catalysts was found to be higher than that of analogous Ir catalysts (the composition of the catalysts was 3 wt % Ir with respect to SiO2 and 10-30 wt % Cu with respect to Ir) in the temperature range 453-493 K. The promoting effect of copper was explained by the formation of bimetallic centers by mobile adsorbed Cu atoms at temperatures near the Tammann temperature.