Effect of Calcination Temperature on the Activation Performance and Reaction Mechanism of Ce-Mn-Ru/TiO2 Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO with NH3

In this study, anatase TiO2-supported cerium, manganese, and ruthenium mixed oxides (CeOx-MnOx-RuOx/TiO2; CMRT catalysts) were synthesized at different calcination temperatures via conventional impregnation methods and used for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3. The effect of calcination temperature on the structure, redox properties, activation performance, surface-acidity properties, and catalytic properties of the CMRT catalysts was investigated. The results show that the CMRT catalyst calcined at 350 degrees C exhibits the most efficient low-temperature (<120 degrees C) denitration activity. Moreover, the selective catalytic oxidation (SCO) reaction of ammonia is intensified when the reaction temperature is >200 degrees C, which leads to a decrease in the N-2 selectivity of the CMRT catalysts and further results in an increase in the production of NO and N2O byproducts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy show that the CMRT catalyst calcined at 350 degrees C contains more Ce4+, Mn4+, Ru4+, and lattice oxygen, which greatly improve the catalyst's ability to activate NO that promotes the NH3-SCR reaction. The Run+ sites of the CMRT catalyst calcined at 250 degrees C are the competitive adsorption sites of NO and NH3 molecules, while those of the CMRT catalyst calcined at 350 and 450 degrees C are active sites. Both the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism and the Eley-Rideal (E-R) mechanism occur on the surface of the CMRT catalyst at the low reaction temperature (100 degrees C).