PNNL

Abstract

The lean NOx performance and catalytic properties of In2O3/Al2O3 catalysts were investigated. High lean NOx activity was observed when propene was used as a reductant in the presence of 9% O2 and 7% H2O at a space velocity of 30,000h-1. The optimum lean NOx activity of In2O3/Al2O3 catalysts was observed at a loading of 2.5 wt.% indium on -Al2O3 which was prepared by a sol-gel technique (230 m2/g). When propane was used as a reductant, the In2O3/Al2O3 catalyst did not promote NOx reduction compared to the alumina substrate. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR) have been used to characterize a series of In2O3/Al2O3 catalysts to better understand the surface structure of indium oxide species on the alumina support. The XRD data indicated that crystalline In2O3 was present at In2O3 loadings > 5wt.% and the quantity of the crystalline phase increased as a function of indium loading. XPS results suggested that indium oxide existed as a well-dispersed phase up to 10wt.% indium. The well dispersed or reducible indium oxide species below 400 oC in TPR experiments were assigned as the sites which activate propene to oxygenated hydrocarbons such as acetaldehyde and acrolein. Alumina sites readily utilize the oxygenated hydrocarbons to reduce NOx. Dual-function mechanism was proposed to explain NOx reduction over In2O3/Al2O3 catalysts.