Metal Oxide Catalysts for Selective Reduction of NOx by Hydrocarbons: Toward Molecular Basis for Catalyst Design

Metal oxides are stable and highly durable catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by hydrocarbons and potential candidates for practical use. This review focuses on the development as well as the fundamental understanding of metal oxide based catalysts for selective reduction of NO by hydrocarbons. Our studies on the SCR-deNOx properties of Ga₂O₃/Al₂O₃, Cu-Al₂O₃, and Ag-Al₂O₃ catalysts are presented and it is attempted to demonstrate the advantages of this type of catalysts. On the basis of several spectroscopic characterizations, the effect of important factors, such as dispersion, coordination, and the electronic states of the metal cation, on the intrinsic catalytic activity are quite well clarified. From the in situ FTIR results, the reaction mechanism is understood in terms of formation and reaction of surface molecules. The structural and kinetic information obtained at the molecular level provides a useful strategy for designing better deNOx catalysts using metal oxides.