Reduction features of NO over a potassium-doped C12A7-O- catalyst

The NO reduction features over a noble-metal-free NO(x) storage/reduction catalyst (Ca24Al28O64](4+*)4O-/K, defined as C12A7-O-/K), including the NO conversion, the N2 selectivity, and sulfur tolerance, were investigated with hydrogen and C3H6 as the reducing agents in a fixed-bed continuous flow reactor. The NO conversion and the N2 selectivity on the C12A7-O-/K catalyst mainly depends on the sample temperature, the percentage of potassium, the reducing agents, and the composition of the mixture of gases. The C12A7-O-/10%K catalyst possessed the highest selective reduction ability (to N2) among the catalysts C12A7-O-/x%K. Over 50% of NO can be reduced to N2 with H2 as the reduction agent at 550-700 degrees C. The C12A7-O-/K catalyst also shows higher NO(x) storage capacity (183.9 micromol/g at about 550 degrees C) as well as sulfur tolerance for both the NO(x) storage and the reduction processes. The catalyst characteristics and the intermediate species formed in the NO storage and reduction processes were investigated by the X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The mechanism of NO(x) reduction was addressed according to the above investigations.