The effect of several catalyst supports with large specific surface area (such as SiC, Al2O3, SiC-Al2O3 ball, and SiC Al2O3) on catalytic activity was evaluated in this study. CuO -CeO2 supported on SiC Al2O3 exhibited high stability and activity, which was considerably close to the thermodynamic equilibrium curve at 625 degrees C during the stability test for 50 h. The SO3 decomposition temperature decreased from 750 degrees C to 625 degrees C. SiC-Al2O3- contained numerous micropores and mesopores and had a large specific area, indicating strong adsorption, as determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen adsorption measurement. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the surface of SiC Al(2)O(3)consisted of Al2O3, SiC, and SiO2 and that the cerium oxide surface had the largest number of defects. Temperature-programmed reduction (H-2-TPR) results indicated that the cerium copper oxides on the surface of powdered SiC-Al2O3 had the strongest redox potential and that CuO had the lowest reduction temperature. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.