Reduction of nitrogen oxide by ammonia. Oxidation state of V2O5/Al2O3 catalysts and reaction mechanism

When the (NO + NH3 + O2) reaction is carried out over V2O5/Al2O3, the catalysts are partially reduced, and prereduced catalysts are oxidized by the reaction mixture at a slower rate than by an O2 + N2 mixture. The degree of catalyst reduction in the (NO + NH3 + O2) reaction depends on the gas phase composition and particularly on the vanadium loading of the catalyst. The initial oxidation state of catalyst has an effect on the catalyst activity for the reaction. Rate-determining reduction and oxidation steps of the so-called reduction-oxidation mechanism are proposed on the basis of a comparison of the reduction and oxidation of the catalyst by the reaction components.