Aluminum doped titania samples were synthesized as supports of copper oxide catalysts for NO reduction with ammonia. Samples were prepared by the sol-gel method with various ratios of aluminum to titanium. Their thermal stability was examined by TG/DSC methods which revealed that precursors were decomposed at 450 °C. The XRD measurements showed that aluminum caused the diminishing of titania crystallites and was built into the anatase structure or formed an amorphous phase. The admixture of aluminum in titania resulted in a significant increase in specific surface area of mesoporous supports as determined by low temperature sorption of nitrogen. Results of the catalytic tests over copper/aluminum-titania samples obtained by impregnation pointed out that the addition of aluminum broadened the temperature window of high catalytic activity. The increase in Al concentration shifted the temperature of maximum activity to higher values, and at the same time lowered nitrous oxide formation as well. Better catalytic efficiency could result from high copper dispersion on the catalysts surface, as well as the synergistic interaction between Ti and Cu causing reduction in CuO species as confirmed by XPS measurements. It was shown that copper was present as Cu+ species mainly, forming Cu-O-Ti bonds on the catalysts surface.
Keywords: SCR; aluminum; anatase; nitrogen oxides; sol-gel method; titanium oxide.