Decomposition of nitric oxide and its reduction by CO over superconducting and related cuprate catalysts

Catalytic activities of five non-conducting and three superconducting cuprates were measured for the decomposition of NO and the reduction of NO by CO. The concentration of the reactants and the space velocities approximate the conditions of automotive catalysts. In contrast to earlier results, obtained at 20 to 30 times higher partial pressures of NO and 20 to 100 times lower space velocities, none of the catalysts, including five perovskite-like cuprates, showed significant activity for the decomposition of NO at reaction temperatures up to 700 °C. All catalysts were fairly active for the reduction of NO. At temperatures above about 400 °C on the perovskite-like cuprates YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x and Ba₂CuO_3.5-x, the rates for NO reduction were higher than on CuO. All catalysts lost activity for NO reduction in the presence of oxygen (oxidizing conditions).