Design and fabrication of an automated temperature programmed reaction system to evaluate 3-way catalysts Ce1–x–y(La/Y)xPtyO2–d

A completely automated temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) system for carrying out gas–solid catalytic reactions under atmospheric flow conditions is fabricated to study CO and hydrocarbon oxidation, and NO reduction. The system consists of an all-stainless steel UHV system, quadrupole mass spectrometer SX200 (VG Scientific), a tubular furnace and micro-reactor, a temperature controller, a versatile gas handling system, and a data acquisition and analysis system. The performance of the system has been tested under standard experimental conditions for CO oxidation over well-characterized Ce1–x–yPtx(La/Y)yO2–d catalysts. Testing of 3-way catalysis with CO, NO and C2H2 to convert to CO2, N2 and H2O is done with this catalyst which shows complete removal of pollutants below 325C. Fixed oxide-ion defects in Pt substituted Ce1–y(La/Y)yO2–y/2 show higher catalytic activity than Pt ion-substituted CeO2.