Abstract
Nanostructured powders of automotive catalytic system CuOAl 2O 3, targeted for nitrogen oxides (NO x ) removal under lean-burn engine conditions, were investigated using neutron diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering. The crystal phases, structural transformations and microstructure oof 10 mol% CuAl 2O 3 powders are characterized according to the heat-treatment conditions. These properties are correlated with the pore structure and NO x removal efficiency determined by nitrogen adsorption isotherm, electron spin resonance, and temperature-programmed reaction measurements. The γ-(Cu, Al) 2O 3 phase and the mass-fractal-like aggregate of particles (size ≈ 26 nm) at annealing temperatures below 900°C were found to be crucial to the high NO x removal performance. The transformation to bulk crystalline phases of α-Al 2O 3 + CuAl 2O 4 spinel above ∼ 1050°C corresponds to a drastic drop of NO x removal efficiency. The usefulness of neutron-scattering techniques as well as their complementarity with other traditional methods of catalytic research are discussed.
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