Promotion of La(Cu0.7Mn0.3)0.98M0.02O3−δ (M = Pd, Pt, Ru and Rh) perovskite catalysts by noble metals for the reduction of NO by CO

Abstract To evaluate the structural and spectroscopic steering factors of noble metal promotion in the catalytic reduction of NO by CO, a series of La(Cu0.7Mn0.3)0.98M0.02O3−δ (M = Pd, Pt, Ru, Rh) perovskite catalysts is investigated. The materials are synthesized by a sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All metal-promoted perovskites exhibit a comparatively higher activity for catalytic reduction of NO by CO with respect to pure La(Cu0.7Mn0.3)O3−δ . Among all catalysts tested, the La(Cu0.7Mn0.3)0.98Pd0.02O3−δ perovskite shows the highest catalytic activity, which is tentatively related to a combined synergistic effect of improved oxygen vacancy activity and noble metals. Additionally, the redox chemistry of the catalysts in different reducing (H2) and oxidizing (NO, O2) atmospheres is tested. An enhanced kinetic reducibility, especially with Pd, was observed. All the H2-reduced catalysts are capable of reducing NO. At low and intermediate temperatures, the formation of N2O is observed, but at higher temperatures NO is exclusively converted to N2. The introduction of noble metals leads to new adsorption sites for NO. As XPS suggests a tendency for depletion of noble metals in the surface-near regions, while the catalytic activity in NO reduction at the same time appears much improved, directed noble metal promotion with modest amounts especially in surface-near regions during synthesis appears as an encouraging method to economize the use of the latter.