Mesoporous silica based copper catalytic materials for potential deNOx application: Synthesis and characterization

Abstract

In this work hybrid catalytic porous materials were prepared and investigated with respect to their structural and functional properties. The development of the catalytic systems was performed through a modified polyol route utilizing two mesoporous siliceous templates, MCM-41 & MCF as substrates, whereas copper was used as the active component. Microwave irradiation was applied as heating source and the size of as-formed NPs along with their dispersion on selected porous hosts were effectively controlled through fine tuning of the reaction parameters. Characterization results reveal the successful preparation of Cu NPs of approximately 16 nm diameter in both studied composites. DeNOx catalytic activity results performed under stoichiometric conditions demonstrate an enhanced efficiency reaching 37–42% maximum NO conversion by CO at moderate temperatures (~400 °C). However, a more detailed study is required for an in depth comprehension of the synthetic parameters that will enable the production of supported Cu NPs with desirable particle size distribution and enhanced catalytic activity.