Noble-free potassium-bimetallic catalysts supported on beta-zeolite for the simultaneous removal of NOx and soot from simulated diesel exhaust

This paper deals with the activity of the KCu and KCo catalysts supported on beta-zeolite for the simultaneous NO_x/soot removal from a simulated diesel exhaust, containing C₃H₆ as model hydrocarbon. In order to reveal the effect of potassium, the corresponding monometallic catalysts (Co/beta and Cu/beta) were analyzed and different potassium loadings were used. In addition, for comparative purpose, the performance of a platinum based catalyst (Pt/beta) was studied. All noble-free catalysts show, at 450 °C, a high activity for the simultaneous NO_x/soot removal. Among them, K1Cu/beta presents the best global performance at 350 and 450 °C achieving a high soot consumption rate (comparable to platinum catalysts) and the highest NO_x reduction. In contrast to platinum catalysts, K1Cu/beta has the advantage that the main reaction products are N₂ and CO_2.     

Potassium–copper and potassium–cobalt catalysts supported on alumina for simultaneous NOx and soot removal from simulated diesel engine exhaust

This paper deals with the activity of bimetallic potassium–copper and potassium–cobalt catalysts supported on alumina for the reduction of NO_x with soot from simulated diesel engine exhaust. The effect of the reaction temperature, the soot/catalyst mass ratio and the presence of C₃H₆ has been studied. In addition, the behavior of two monometallic catalysts supported on zeolite beta (Co/beta and Cu/beta), previously used for NO_x reduction with C₃H₆, as well as a highly active HC-SCR catalyst (Pt/beta) has been tested for comparison. The preliminary results obtained in the absence of C₃H₆ indicate that, at temperatures between 250 and 400 °C, the use of bimetallic potassium catalysts notably increases the rate of NO_x reduction with soot evolving N₂ and CO₂ as main reaction products. At higher temperatures, the catalysts mainly favor the direct soot combustion with oxygen. In the presence of C₃H₆, an increase in the activity for NO_x reduction has been observed for the catalyst with the highest metal content. At 450 °C, the copper-based catalysts (Cu/beta and KCu2/Al₂O₃) show the highest activity for both NO_x reduction (to N₂ and CO₂) and soot consumption. The Pt/beta catalyst does not combine, at any temperature, a high NO_x reduction with a high soot consumption rate.     

Performance of potassium-promoted catalysts for NO x and soot removal from simulated diesel exhaust

In order to elucidate the effect of support in the catalytic performance, two selected potassium-promoted catalysts (K1Cu/beta and KCu2/Al₂O₃) were tested for the simultaneous NO _x /soot removal from a simulated diesel exhaust. For comparative purpose, the behaviour of a platinum catalyst (Pt/beta) was also studied. Isothermal experiments revealed that the potassium-promoted catalysts show a high activity for NO _x /soot removal in the 350–450 °C temperature range. In addition, the catalysts present the advantage that the main reaction products are N₂ and CO₂. Among the catalysts tested, KCu2/Al₂O₃ presents the best global performance at 450 °C: the highest soot consumption rate, even higher than the platinum catalysts, and a high NO _x reduction.