Cobalt oxide catalysts for ammonia oxidation activated with cerium and lanthanum

The effect of cerium and lanthanum oxides in cobalt oxide catalysts for both activity and selectivity in ammonia oxidation was studied. The molar ratios of Ce/Co and La/Co in the catalysts were 0.02. All the catalysts were characterized by XRD. The activity was measured in a fixed bed reactor at a temperature range of 720–820°C. Cerium oxide proved to be a more efficient promoter than lanthanum oxide, both being advantageous. The selectivity of ammonia oxidation to NO over Ce-containing sample was even as high as 97.7% and the selectivity to N2O was as low as 0.5%.