Effect of pretreatment on a platinized tin oxide catalyst used for low‐temperature Co oxidation

A commercial platinized tin oxide catalyst used for low‐temperature CO oxidation has been characterized using ion scattering spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis before and after reduction in 40 Torr of CO for 1 h at various temperatures in the range 75–175°C. The reduction results in loss of surface oxygen, formation of metallic tin, conversion of platinum oxides to PtOSn and Pt(OH) 2 and a small amount of metallic Pt which alloys with the tin. These results should be useful in understanding how the pretreatment temperature affects the catalytic activity of platinized tin oxide toward CO oxidation.