Solid electrolyte aided studies of NO–CO reaction on Pd

The Pd-catalyzed NO–CO reaction at temperatures between 320 and 480°C exhibited electrochemical promotion. This reaction was performed in a fuel-cell configuration where Pd is coated on Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2. The electrochemical promotion of the catalytic activity and modification of the selectivity to N2O is reversible and this system showed both electrophilicity and electrophobicity, depending on the direction of oxygen ion pumping. In a typical experiment, the enhancement of reaction rate is 100 times greater than the rate of oxygen ion removal from the catalyst electrode. Rate enhancement, which is defined as the ratio of the reaction rate under electrochemical oxygen removal to the rate under open circuit, of ρCO2=2.2, ρN2O=2.2 and ρN2=4.2 were measured for VWR=−1.8 V at 370°C.