Effect of rare earth oxides (CeO2, La2O3) on properties of Pd/Al2O3 catalysts for reduction of nitrogen oxides by methane

We have established that the thermal stability of supported Pd/Al₂O₃ catalysts is increased after they are modified by rare earth oxides (La₂O₃, Ce₂O₃). We have observed the effect of thermal activation of an aluminopalladium catalyst modified by lanthanum oxide. This effect is apparent in the increase of the specific catalytic activity in the reaction of high-temperature reduction of nitrogen oxides by methane after heat treatment of the catalyst at 850 °C. We have used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to show that the reason for the thermal activation effect is stabilization of palladium in the Pd¹⁺ state. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 44–48, January–February, 2006.