Decomposition of NO over Cu-AITS-1 zeolites

H-AITS-1 zeolite with Si/Ti = 50 and Si/Al = 50 was employed in preparing catalyst samples by ion-exchange and impregnation with a copper nitrate solution to obtain 0.24–1.15 wt.% and 1.5, 2 and 2.5 wt.% Cu loading, respectively. The catalytic properties for the NO decomposition were compared with that of Cu-ZSM-5 (Si/Al = 25 with 2 wt.% Cu loading) and similarity was found between the AITS-1 based samples and Cu-ZSM-5. Due to the higher acidity, the activity at 500°C per total copper atoms (an apparent turnover frequency, TOF) was significantly higher over Cu based AITS-1 samples being 2–3 × 10^?3 s^?1 as compared to 1 × 10^?3 s^?1 measured on Cu-ZSM-5. For the ion-exchanged Cu-AITS-1 there was an increase in TOF with increasing copper content, whereas on the impregnated samples a decrease in TOF was found. On all catalysts there was a maximum in the NO conversion at 500–550°C. The amount of NO per copper atom measured by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) was about the same as that on Cu-ZSM-5 and the features of the TPD were also similar. At the first contact of the catalyst at 500°C with the 2 vol% NO/Ar gas a transient N₂O formation and a considerable delay in the O₂ formation was observed. This could, however, be reproduced only on fresh catalyst, while all further transients showed different but reproducible features using the same sample.