Highly active Rb/Cu/YCeO2 catalyst for the storage of nitric oxide under lean conditions

• A Rb/Cu/YCeO2 catalyst shows a high activity in NO adsorption.
• Rubidium leads to an increase in the reduction temperature of copper.
• The close rubidium–copper interaction favors the NO adsorption activity.

A novel Pt-free Rb/Cu/YCeO2 catalyst was applied to the adsorption of NO under oxidizing conditions. The results show a much greater performance of this catalyst relative to a Pt/Ba/Al2O3 catalyst. The results suggest that the presence of copper promotes the oxidation of NO to NO2, with the latter molecules being readily adsorbed. Infrared experiments show a variety of nitrate/nitrites on the catalyst surface under reaction conditions. The addition of Rb resulted in copper being more resistant to reduction. The copper phase remained highly dispersed even after the addition of Rb.

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