Mechanism of the Reduction by Ammonia of Nitrates Stored onto a Pt–Ba/Al2O3 LNT Catalyst

Abstract

The mechanism involved in the formation of N2 and of N2O during the reduction of nitrates stored onto a Pt–Ba/Al2O3 LNT catalyst is investigated using labeled NO and unlabeled ammonia, in the presence and in the absence of NO in the gas phase. The reduction of the stored NO x species (labeled nitrates) with NH3 leads to the selective formation of N2. Based on the isotopic distribution, it appears that N2 formation occurs primarily through the statistical coupling of N-atoms formed by dissociation of NO and NH3 at metal Pt sites. When the reduction of the stored nitrates is carried out in the presence of NO in the gas phase, NO is preferentially reduced. This implies that the rate determining step of the reduction of nitrates by ammonia is likely associated with the release of stored NO x . Negligible amounts of nitrous oxide have been observed during the NH3-TPSR with adsorbed nitrates, whereas relevant quantities of N2O have been detected at low temperatures (below 180 °C) in the runs performed in the presence of NO in the gas phase. The data converge to indicate that N2O formation involves the presence of gaseous NO and this suggests that the formation of nitrous oxide occurs either through the coupling of two adsorbed NO molecules or the recombination of an adsorbed NO molecule with an adsorbed NH x species.