Nano-structured gold catalysts supported on CeO2 and CeO2-Al2O3 for NOx reduction by CO: effect of catalyst pretreatment and feed composition

Gold catalysts supported on ceria and ceria-alumina were studied in NOx reduction by CO. Gold was loaded using deposition-precipitation method. The ceria-alumina (20 wt% alumina) support was synthesized by co-precipitation. The average size of gold and ceria nano-particles was bellow 10 nm. It was established that the type of pretreatment do not have a substantial effect on the catalytic activity. The presence of O2 in the feed leads to a high conversion of CO to CO2 but no NO conversion was registered. Both NO and CO conversion was increased adding H2 to the feed. The catalytic activity became higher upon adding higher amount of H2. Supplementary to the main reaction parallel reactions took place. Bellow 200 degrees C N2O formation and at 250 degrees C and above the NH3 formation was detected. At around 200 degrees C it was established 100% selectivity to N2. The addition of water to the feed influenced positively the CO conversion and did not influence negatively the conversion of NO. The selectivity to N2 at around 200 degrees C remained 100% independent of the presence of moisture. Alumina in the mixed support prevents the sintering of both gold and ceria nano-particles. The results obtained make the catalysts containing gold supported on ceria-alumina promising for practical application.