New insights on N2O formation pathways during lean/rich cycling of a commercial lean NOx trap catalyst

Measures to Reduce the N2O Formation at Perovskite-Based Lean NOx Trap Catalysts under Lean Conditions

The net oxidising atmosphere of lean burn engines requires a special after-treatment catalyst for NOx removal from the exhaust gas. Lean NOx traps (LNT) are such kind of catalysts. To increase the efficiency of LNTs at low temperatures platinised perovskite-based infiltration composites La0.5Sr0.5Fe1-xMxO3-δ/Al2O3 with M = Nb, Ti, Zr have been developed. In general, platinum based LNT catalysts show an undesired, hazardous formation of N2O in the lean operation mode due to a competing C3H6-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) at the platinum sites. To reduce N2O emissions an additional Rh-coating, obtained by incipient wetness impregnation, besides the Pt coating and a two-layered oxidation catalyst (2 wt.% Pd/20 wt.% CeO2/alumina)-LNT constitution, has been investigated. Though the combined Rh-Pt coating shows a slightly increased NOx storage capacity (NSC) at temperatures above 300 °C, it does not decrease N2O formation. The layered oxidation catalyst-LNT system shows a decrease in N2O formation of up to 60% at 200 °C, increasing the maximum NSC up to 176 µmol/g. Furthermore, the NSC temperature range is broadened compared to that of the pure LNT catalyst, now covering a range of 250–300 °C.

Hybrid Technology for DeNOxing by LNT-SCR System for Efficient Diesel Emission Control: Influence of Operation Parameters in H2O + CO2 Atmosphere

The behavior and operation parameters were analyzed for the hybrid LNT-SCR (Lean NOx-Trap–Selective Catalytic Reduction) system with advanced catalyst formulations. Pt-Ba-K/Al2O3 was used as an NSR (NOx Storage and Reduction) or LNT catalyst effective in NOx and soot simultaneous removal whereas Cu-SAPO-34 with 2 wt.% of copper inside the structure was the small pore zeolite employed as the SCR catalyst. Under alternating and cyclic wet conditions, feeding volumetric concentrations of 1000 ppm of NO, 3% of O2, 1.5% of water, 0.3% of CO2, and H2 as a reductant, the NOx-conversion values were above 95% and a complete mineralization to nitrogen was registered using θ ≤ 3 (20 s of regeneration) and a hydrogen content between 10,000 and 2000 ppm in the whole temperature range tested. An excess of hydrogen fed (above 1% v/v) during the rich phase is unnecessary. In addition, in the low temperature range below 250 °C, the effect is more noticeable due to the further ammonia production and its possible slip. These results open the way to the scale up of the coupled catalytic technologies for its use in real conditions while controlling the influence of the operation map.

Challenges and breakthroughs in post-combustion catalysis: how to match future stringent regulations

This short overview briefly summarizes the prominent evolutions and scientific breakthroughs in the development of end-of-pipe technologies with respect to the standard regulations of atmospheric pollutant emissions from automotive exhaust.

It is no laughing matter: nitrous oxide formation in diesel engines and advances in its abatement over rhodium-based catalysts

N₂O appears as one of the undesired by-products in exhaust gases emitted from diesel engine aftertreatment systems, such as diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), lean NO_x trap (LNT, also known as NO_x storage and reduction (NSR)) or selective catalytic reduction (NH₃-SCR and HC-SCR) and ammonia slip catalysts (ASC, AMOX, guard catalyst).

Elucidating N2O Formation during the Cyclic NOx Storage and Reduction Process Using CO as a Reductant

The N2O formation pathway and effect of H2O on N2O formation during the NOx storage and reduction (NSR) process using CO as a reductant were investigated over a Pt-BaO/Al2O3 catalyst. The NSR activity measurements and transient in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) experiments were performed to evaluate N2O evolution and elucidate the N2O formation mechanism. N2O is formed in the lean, rich, and delay2 phases. In the lean phase, N2O formation is related to the reactions between surface isocyanate and gaseous NO/O2 and NO is more responsible for N2O formation than O2. Moreover, N2O production decreases with H2O because of the hydrolysis of isocyanate species. In the rich phase, the amount of N2O formation also decreases in the presence of H2O at a higher temperature because of the high reduction ability of H2 generated from the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction. During the delay2 phase, N2O is mainly formed by nitrite species reacting with Pt(0)-CO. Furthermore, the presence of H2O decreases the stability of nitrites and results in more N2O production at a low temperature.

New Insights into the N2O formation mechanism over Pt-BaO/Al2O3 model catalysts using H2 as a reductant

The N2O formation mechanism was investigated over a Pt-BaO/Al2O3 catalyst applied on light-duty diesel vehicles using H2 as a reductant in the absence and presence of H2O. In the absence of H2O, N2O forms mainly at the initial phase of lean NOx trapping; while in the presence of H2O, N2O appears mainly at the beginning of the rich reduction phase. In the lean period, N2O is formed via the gaseous NO/O2 reacting with the adsorbed H and NH3 that are formed during the previous rich period. The N2O formation in the rich period is insignificant in the absence of H2O but is greatly enhanced by the presence of H2O. The amount of N2O formed is proportional to the H2O level in the feed, and its formation is favored at low temperatures. Our FTIR data show that H2O enhances the rate of nitrite/nitrate reduction during the rich regeneration, which increases the amount of released NOx, an oxygen source for N2O formation. Our temperature-programmed experiments indicate that H2O competes with NH3 for adsorption sites on Pt surface. This competitive adsorption may increase the NH3 desorption rate at low temperatures in the rich phase and make Pt surface more accessible to NO.