Simultaneous removal of SO2 and NO x with OH from the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 over Fe-Mo mixed oxides

Highlights: • A novel H₂O₂/Fe-Mo catalyst system for removal of SO₂ and NO_x was developed. • Satisfactory removal efficiencies were achieved at extremely low H₂O₂ dosage. • The catalyst with Mo/Fe atomic ratio of 2.0 showed the highest activity. • The roles of Fe and Mo species played in the catalytic process were clarified. In this paper, the simultaneous removal of SO₂ and NO_x catalyzed by Fe-Mo mixed oxides at varying Mo/Fe atomic ratios was reported for the first time with the aim of reducing H₂O₂ consumption and elucidating the roles of Fe and Mo species in the catalytic process. Fe-Mo mixed oxides with varying Mo/Fe atomic ratios were synthesized and the catalytic performances were systematically studied. The catalyst with Mo/Fe atomic ratio of 2.0 exhibited the highest activity, with which removal efficiencies of 89.4 % for NO_x and 100 % for SO₂ can be attained at extremely low H₂O₂ dosage. Products analysis revealed that SO₂ was mainly removed via wet scrubber, while the adequate oxidation resulting from OH radicals was the prerequisite for NO_x removal. The redox pair of Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ played a significant role in decomposing H₂O₂, while Mo species had double effect on catalytic activity. Higher Mo content resulted in abundant oxygen vacancies and stronger surface acidity, which favored OH formation. However, the excessive Mo content involved severe surface Mo enrichment and remarkably reduced the active sites of Fe species. The H₂O₂/Fe-Mo catalyst system showed excellent stability and had a promising prospect for simultaneously removing SO₂ and NO_x in coal-fired flue gas.