Removal of NO over carbon supported copper catalysts: II. Evaluation of catalytic properties under different reaction conditions Original Research Article

The copper-catalysed reduction of NO with CO has been investigated over copper-loaded carbon materials (graphites and activated carbon). The NO + CO reaction has been studied in the presence and in the absence of oxygen. The carbon-supported copper catalysts have a very high activity for the reduction of NO with CO; however, the presence of oxygen inhibits the reaction. Variations in catalytic activity are associated with changes in the chemical nature of the active sites. Carbonaceous materials are found to stabilize metallic copper under NO + CO reaction conditions. The presence of functional groups on the surface of the carbon and the porous structure affect the performance of the catalysts. The reduction of NO with carbon is enhanced by the presence of O2, although the activity for this reaction is very low compared with those for the NO + CO or CO + O2 reactions.