Ce-Al2O3 catalysts prepared by co-precipitation are investigated both in NO oxidation by O2 and in selective catalytic reduction of NO by C2H2(C 2 H 2-SCR).It is found that C2H2-SCR is initiated and controlled by NO oxidation to NO 2 over Al2O3.Ce loading on Al2O3 is almost inactive for NO oxidation below 350 C,since NO2 strongly adsorbs on cerium oxide,leading to the active sites being blocked,which was characterized by temperature-programmed desorption of NO and NO 2 and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy after NO+O 2 coadsorption over the samples.However,in the case of C2H2-SCR,Ce loading on Al 2 O 3 significantly improves the reaction by accelerating the NO oxidation step in the temperature range of 250-450 C,since the nitrate species produced by NO 2 adsorption is an active intermediate required by C2H 2-SCR.
