A pathway of NO–H2–O2 reaction over Pt/ZrO2 through ammonium nitrate

The relationship between the product selectivity for the NO–H₂–O₂ reaction and characteristics of the catalyst, Pt/ZrO₂, was investigated. From the results of activity tests and characterizations, such as CO adsorption and TEM, the catalysts with high Pt dispersions showed high NH₃ selectivities, and those with significantly agglomerated Pt particles by high temperature calcination exhibited higher N₂ formation. The effect of the reduction and oxidation pretreatment was also investigated. The reduced Pt sites promoted the formation of NH₃. The pretreatment condition influenced not only on the amount of accumulated nitrogen-containing species during the reaction but also on the decomposition of ammonium nitrate, which was suspected to be an accumulated species. The decomposition of ammonium nitrate would be involved in the NO–H₂–O₂ reaction.