K-Doped Co–Mn–Al Mixed Oxide Catalyst for N2O Abatement from Nitric Acid Plant Waste Gases: Pilot Plant Studies

Effect of Zinc on the Structure and Activity of the Cobalt Oxide Catalysts for NO Decomposition

Co4−iZniMnAlOx mixed oxides (i = 0, 0.5 and 1) were prepared by coprecipitation, subsequently modified with potassium (2 or 4 wt.% K), and investigated for direct catalytic NO decomposition, one of the most attractive and challenging NOx abatement processes. The catalysts were characterised by atomic absorption spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman and infrared spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen, the temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 and NO, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, the work function, and N2 physisorption. The partial substitution of cobalt increased the specific surface area, decreased the pore sizes, influenced the surface composition, and obtained acid-base properties as a result of the higher availability of medium and strong basic sites. No visible changes in the morphology, crystallite size, and work function were observed upon the cobalt substitution. The conversion of NO increased after the Co substitution, however, the increase in the amount of zinc did not affect the catalytic activity, whereas a higher amount of potassium caused a decrease in the NO conversion. The results obtained, which were predominantly the acid-base characteristics of the catalyst, are in direct correlation with the proposed NO decomposition reaction mechanisms with NOx− as the main reaction intermediates.

Modification of MCM-22 Zeolite and Its Derivatives with Iron for the Application in N2O Decomposition

Layered 2D zeolite MCM-22 and its delaminated derivative, ITQ-2, were modified with iron, by different methods (ion-exchange and direct synthesis), and with the use of different precursors (FeSO4∙7H2O, Fe(NO3)3∙9H2O, and [Fe3(OCOCH3)7∙OH∙2H2O]NO3 oligocations. The applied modifications were aimed at optimization of iron form in the samples (aggregation, amount, location, and reducibility), in order to achieve the highest catalytic activity in the N2O decomposition. The synthesis of the samples was verified with the use of XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), N2-sorption and ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy) techniques, while the form of iron in the samples was investigated by UV–vis-DRS (UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy), H2-TPR (Hydrogen Temperature-Programmed Reduction) and HRTEM (High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy). The highest activity in the N2O decomposition presented the sample Fe(O,IE)MCM-22, prepared by ion-exchange of MCM-22 with Fe3(III) oligocations. This activity was related to the oligomeric FexOy species (the main form of iron in the sample) and the higher loading of active species (in comparison to the modification with FeSO4∙7H2O).

K-Modified Co–Mn–Al Mixed Oxide—Effect of Calcination Temperature on N2O Conversion in the Presence of H2O and NOx

The effect of calcination temperature (500–700 °C) on physico-chemical properties and catalytic activity of 2 wt. % K/Co-Mn-Al mixed oxide for N2O decomposition was investigated. Catalysts were characterized by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen (TPR-H2), temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (TPD-CO2), temperature-programmed desorption of NO (TPD-NO), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and N2 physisorption. It was found that the increase in calcination temperature caused gradual crystallization of Co-Mn-Al mixed oxide, which manifested itself in the decrease in Co2+/Co3+ and Mn3+/Mn4+ surface molar ratio, the increase in mean crystallite size leading to lowering of specific surface area and poorer reducibility. Higher surface K content normalized per unit surface led to the increase in surface basicity and adsorbed NO per unit surface. The effect of calcination temperature on catalytic activity was significant mainly in the presence of NOx, as the optimal calcination temperature of 500 °C is necessary to ensure sufficient low surface basicity, leading to the highest catalytic activity. Observed NO inhibition was caused by the formation of surface mononitrosyl species bonded to tetrahedral metal sites or nitrite species, which are stable at reaction temperatures up to 450 °C and block active sites for N2O decomposition.

Magnesium Effect in K/Co-Mg-Mn-Al Mixed Oxide Catalyst for Direct NO Decomposition

Emission of nitric oxide represents a serious environmental problem since it contributes to the formation of acid rain and photochemical smog. Potassium-modified Co-Mn-Al mixed oxide is an effective catalyst for NO decomposition. However, there are problems related to the thermal instability of potassium species and a high content of toxic and expensive cobalt. The reported research aimed to determine whether these shortcomings can be overcome by replacing cobalt with magnesium. Therefore, a series of Co-Mg-Mn-Al mixed oxides with different Co/Mg molar ratio and promoted by various content of potassium was investigated. The catalysts were thoroughly characterized by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen (TPR-H2), temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (TPD-CO2), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 physisorption, species-resolved thermal alkali desorption (SR-TAD), and tested in direct NO decomposition with and without the addition of oxygen and water vapor. Partial substitution of magnesium for cobalt did not cause an activity decrease when the optimal molar ratio of K/Co on the normalized surface area was maintained; it means that the portion of expensive and toxic cobalt can be successfully replaced by magnesium without any decrease in catalytic activity.

Bulk, Surface and Interface Promotion of Co3O4 for the Low-Temperature N2O Decomposition Catalysis

Nanocrystalline cobalt spinel has been recognized as a very active catalytic material for N2O decomposition. Its catalytic performance can be substantially modified by proper doping with alien cations with precise control of their loading and location (spinel surface, bulk, and spinel-dopant interface). Various doping scenarios for a rational design of the optimal catalyst for low-temperature N2O decomposition are analyzed in detail and the key reactivity descriptors are identified (content and topological localization of dopants, their redox vs. non-redox nature and catalyst work function). The obtained results are discussed in the broader context of the available literature data to establish general guidelines for the rational design of the N2O decomposition catalyst based on a cobalt spinel platform.

Must the Best Laboratory Prepared Catalyst Also Be the Best in an Operational Application?

Three cobalt mixed oxide deN2O catalysts, with optimal content of alkali metals (K, Cs), were prepared on a large scale, shaped into tablets, and tested in a pilot plant reactor connected to the bypassed tail gas from the nitric production plant, downstream from the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by ammonia (SCR NOx/NH3) catalyst. High efficiency in N2O removal (N2O conversion of 75–90% at 450 °C, VHSV = 11,000 m3 mbed−3 h−1) was achieved. However, a different activity order of the commercially prepared catalyst tablets compared to the laboratory prepared catalyst grains was observed. Catalytic experiments in the kinetic regime using laboratory and commercial prepared catalysts and characterization methods (XRD, TPR-H2, physisorption, and chemical analysis) were utilized to explain this phenomenon. Experimentally determined internal effectiveness factors and their general dependency on kinetic constants were evaluated to discuss the relationship between the catalyst activity in the kinetic regime and the internal diffusion limitation in catalyst tablets as well as their morphology. The theoretical N2O conversion as a function of the intrinsic kinetic constants and diffusion rate, expressed as effective diffusion coefficients, was evaluated to estimate the final catalyst performance on a large scale and to answer the question of the above article title.