Published July 14, 1997 | Version v1
Report

Neutron studies of nanostructured CuO-Al2O3 NOx removal catalysts

  • 1. Nagoya Institute of Technology, Tajimi (Japan)
  • 2. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

Description

Nanostructured powders of automotive catalytic system CuO0Al2O3, targeted for nitrogen oxides (NOx) removal under lean-burn engine conditions, were investigated using neutron diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering. The crystal phases, structural transformations and microstructure of 10 mol% Cu-Al2O3 powders are characterized according to the heat-treatment conditions. These properties are correlated with the pore structure and NOx removal efficiency determined by nitrogen adsorption isotherm, electron spin resonance, and temperature programmed reaction measurements. The γ-(Cu, Al)2O3 phase and the mass-fractal-like aggregate of particles (size ∼ 26 nm) at annealing temperatures below 900 degrees C were found to be crucial to the high NOx removal performance. The transformation to bulk crystalline phases of α-Al2O3 + CuAl2O4 spinel above ∼1050 degrees C corresponds to a drastic drop of Nox removal efficiency. The usefulness of neutron-scattering techniques as well as their complementarity with other traditional methods of catalytic research are discussed

Availability note (English)

Available from INIS in electronic form; ALSO AVAILABLE FROM OSTI AS DE97054136; NTIS; INIS; US GOVT. PRINTING OFFICE DEP.

Additional details

Publishing Information

Imprint Pagination
20 p.
Report number
ANL/IPNS/CP--94279

Conference

Title
International conference on neutron scattering (ICNS)
Dates
17-21 Aug 1997
Place
Toronto (Canada)

Optional Information

Contract/Grant/Project number
Contract W-31-109-ENG-38
Funding organization
USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
Secondary number(s)
CONF-970814--