Preparation of Pt/Al2O3 and PtPd/Al2O3 catalysts by supercritical deposition and their performance for oxidation of nitric oxide and propene

Abstract

Pt/Al2O3 and bimetallic PtPd/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared via supercritical deposition method using supercritical carbon dioxide. The effects of Pt loading of Pt/Al2O3 and Pd addition to Pt/Al2O3 on particle size, particle size distribution (PSD) and activity for NO and C3H6 oxidation and C3H6-selective catalytic reduction (C3H6-SCR) were investigated. Pt/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared with Pt loadings of 0.6, 1.2 and 2.1 wt% and a bimetallic PtPd/Al2O3 catalyst was prepared with total metal loading of 1.4 wt% and Pt:Pd molar ratio of 1.3:1. A small fraction of the particles agglomerated after calcination at 550 °C. Around 98 % of the particles had an average particle size of ?1 nm. The rest of the particles were larger and average size of these larger particles was ?10 nm for monometallic catalysts and ?6.5 nm for PtPd/Al2O3. All catalysts were found to be active for NO and C3H6 oxidation and C3H6-SCR reactions. NO oxidation performance of 1.2 wt% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst was the highest. C3H6 oxidation activity increased with increasing metal content. Light-off temperature for C3H6 oxidation shifted to higher temperature in the presence of NO, suggesting competitive oxidation of C3H6 and NO. Concentration profiles indicated that C3H6-SCR started when C3H6 conversion by oxidation reached 50 %; C3H6 was consumed both by oxidation and C3H6-SCR at higher conversions.