A　series　of　copper　ferrite-based　catalysts　were　prepared　by　the　co-precipitation　method　using　KOH,　K2CO3,　Na2CO3,　NaOH,　and　NaHCO3　as　the　precipitants　and　their　physicochemical　properties　were　investigated　by　N-2-physisorption,　SEM,　XRD,　FT-IR,　Raman,　H-2-TPR,　N2O　decomposition,　and　CO2-TPD.　The　characterization　results　indicated　that　the　utilization　of　KOH　as　precipitant　was　favorable　for　the　formation　of　copper　ferrite,　which　exhibited　smaller　crystalline　and　higher　reducibility.　The　catalytic　test　in　the　water-gas　shift　reaction　(WGSR)　revealed　that　the　sample　prepared　with　the　KOH　as　precipitant　exhibited　higher　activity　and　thermal　stability　than　the　other　samples.　It　was　suggested　that　higher　Cu　dispersion,　larger　amount　of　surface　copper　atoms,　weak　basic　sites,　and　strong　interaction　between　copper　and　iron　oxides　resulting　from　the　copper　ferrite　were　responsible　for　the　high　catalytic　performance.　Copyright　(C)　2014,　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.