Washcoated open-cell foam cobalt spinel catalysts for N2O decomposition

Abstract

The Co3O4 modified with 1 wt.% Cs was deposited on alpha-Al2O3 open-cell foam covered with different washcoats (MgO, MnO2, SiO2, TiO2), investigated by XRD, Raman microspectroscopy, nitrogen physisorption, XPS, SEM and TPR-H2 in order to elucidate interactions between Cs-Co3O4 and the washcoat and their effect on surface area, reducibility, dispersion, and low temperature decomposition of N2O. The samples with SiO2 and TiO2 washcoats had the largest surface areas. Only SiO2 did not interact with the active phase and did not change the reducibility of the catalyst. Although the same Cs concentration was adjusted during preparation of all catalysts, differences in the Cs/Co surface molar ratio were observed due to a different level of Co3O4 particles aggregation and cesium dispersion. Catalytic activity correlated with the surface Cs/Co molar ratio closely interconnected with the surface Co3+/Co2+ molar ratio while there were no direct relationships to the redox properties and surface area. The highest activity was achieved for the MgO washcoat prepared from carbonate with the highest Co3+/Co2+ molar ratio corresponding to the optimal Cs/Co surface molar ratio around 0.1.