Enhanced catalytic activity over MIL-100(Fe) loaded ceria catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH₃ at low temperature.

The development of catalysts for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reactions that are highly active at low temperatures and show good resistance to SO2 and H2O is still a challenge. In this study, we have designed and developed a high-performance SCR catalyst based on nano-sized ceria encapsulated inside the pores of MIL-100(Fe) that combines excellent catalytic power with a metal organic framework architecture synthesized by the impregnation method (IM). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the encapsulation of ceria in the cavities of MIL-100(Fe). The prepared IM-CeO2/MIL-100(Fe) catalyst shows improved catalytic activity both at low temperatures and throughout a wide temperature window. The temperature window for 90% NOx conversion ranges from 196 to 300°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT) analysis indicated that the nano-sized ceria encapsulated inside MIL-100(Fe) promotes the production of chemisorbed oxygen on the catalyst surface, which greatly enhances the formation of the NO2 species responsible for fast SCR reactions.