Catalytic activity of Cu/η-Al2O3 catalysts prepared from aluminum scraps in the NH3-SCO and in the NH3-SCR of NO.

Copper-loaded η-alumina catalysts with different copper contents were prepared by impregnation/evaporation method. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, FTIR, BET, UV-Vis, and H2-TPR and evaluated, for the first time, in the selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3 and in the selective catalytic oxidation of NH3. The characterization techniques showed that the impregnation/evaporation method permits to obtain highly dispersed copper oxide species on the η-alumina surface when a low amount of copper is used (1wt. % and 2 wt.%). The wet impregnation method made it possible to reach a well dispersion of the copper species on the surface of the alumina for the low copper contents Cu(1)-Al2O3 and Cu(2)-Al2O3. The latter justifies the similar behavior of Cu(1)-Al2O3) and Cu(2)-Al2O3 in the selective catalytic oxidation of NH3 where these catalysts exhibit a conversion of NH3 to N2 of the order of 100% at T> 500 °C.