TRA and DRIFTS studies of the fast SCR reaction over CeO2/TiO2 catalyst at low temperatures

The CeO2/TiO2 catalyst was prepared by a deposition-precipitation method, which exhibited high low-temperature activity under the fast SCR condition. By using transient reaction analysis (TRA), the steps in the fast SCR, including NO2 adsorption and decomposition, reaction between nitrates and NO, ammonium nitrate formation and reduction by NO, were investigated. Diffuses reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) experiments, via NO + O-2 or NO + NO2 adsorption, ammonium species reaction with NOx and NO reaction with NH4NO3, were designed to identify the roles of NO, NO2 and NH3 in fast SCR. Based on L-H mechanism, the NH4NO3 formation played an important role in low-temperature SCR reaction. Compared with the behavior in standard SCR, the higher activity in the presence of NO2 was ascribed to the faster NH4NO3 formation rate and larger amounts of nitrates/nitrites. This phenomenon provided a basis for developing Ce-based catalysts as SCR catalysts for diesel exhaust aftertreatment.