BIFUNCTIONAL CATALYSTS FOR THE DECOMPOSITION OF NOX

NITROGEN OXIDES (NO AND NO2 OR NOX) ARE AMONG THE MOST PERVASIVE AND DIFFICULT EMISSIONS TO CONTROL. ALTHOUGH THE DECOMPOSITION OF THE MAJOR SPECIES (NO) IS THERMODYNAMICALLY FAVORED, THERE ARE NO COMMERCIAL CATALYTICPROCESSES CAPABLE OF DECOMPOSING NOX WITHOUT THE ADDITION OF A REDUCING GAS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE OXYGEN PRODUCED DURING THE DECOMPOSITION REMAINS STRONGLY CHEMISORBED ON THE CATALYST, BLOCKING ACCESS OF THE NO TO THE CATALYTIC SITES AND REVERSIBLY POISONING THE CATALYST. A DIRECT CATALYTIC DECOMPOSITION PROCESS WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE THE USE OF A REDUCING GAS WOULD BE A MAJOR ADVANCE. TDA RESEARCH, INC. PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A NEW CLASS OF NOVEL CATALYSTS CAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT THIS REACTION. THE CATALYST DESORBS OXYGEN AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE THAN DO OTHER MATERIALS (WHILE RETAINING THE NECESSARY AFFINITY FOR THE REACTANT), PREVENTING POISONING OF THE CATALYST BY STRONGLY ABSORBED SURFACE OXYGEN. IN PHASE I, THEY WILL SYNTHESIZE THESE CATALYSTS AND EVALUATE THEIR PERFORMANCE UNDER CONDITIONS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EXHAUST OF A GAS TURBINE. THEY WILL CARRY OUT A DETAILED CHEMICAL AND KINETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BEST CATALYST AS AN AID IN EVALUATING ITS POTENTIAL, AND TO PROVIDE THE IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF THE REACTION MECHANISM (WHICH IS A KEY TO FURTHER IMPROVING ITS ACTIVITY).