Catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with carbon monoxide on copper-cobalt oxides supported on nano-titanium dioxide

Abstract

A series of copper-cobalt oxides supported on nano-titanium dioxide were prepared for the reduction of nitric oxide with carbon monoxide and characterized using techniques such as XRD, BET and TPR. Catalyst CuCoOx/TiO2 with Cu/Co molar ratio of 1/2, Cu-Co total loading of 30% at the calcination temperature of 350 degrees C formed CuCo2O4 spinel and had the highest activity. NO conversion reached 98.9% at 200 degrees C. Mechanism of the reduction was also investigated, N2O was mainly yielded below 100 degrees C, while N-2 was produced instead at higher temperature. O-2 was supposed to accelerate the reaction between NOx and CO for its oxidation of NO to give more easily reduced NO2, but the oxidation of CO by O-2 to CO2 decreased the speed of the reaction greatly. Either SO2 or H2O had no adverse impact on the activity of NO reduction; however, in the presence of both SO2 and H2O, the catalyst deactivated quickly