Chinese researchers boost catalysts used to remove NOx from industrial emissions
In China, a research team has developed a new strategy to improve catalysts used to remove nitrogen oxides from industrial emissions. By using ethanol during catalyst preparation, the scientists significantly enhanced the performance of manganese based carbon catalysts, achieving very high pollution removal efficiency at relatively low temperatures. The findings were published in the journal Sustainable Carbon Materials.
Nitrogen oxides, commonly referred to as NOx, are major air pollutants produced during fossil fuel combustion in power plants and heavy industries. These gases contribute to smog formation, acid rain, and environmental and health problems. One of the most widely used technologies to control these emissions is ammonia selective catalytic reduction, which converts NOx into harmless nitrogen and water.
However, conventional catalysts used in this process often require high operating temperatures, typically between 300 and 400 degrees Celsius. In many industrial sectors such as steel manufacturing, cement production, and glass processing, exhaust gases are much cooler. This temperature mismatch reduces the efficiency of current technologies and often requires additional energy to reheat the gases.
To address this challenge, researchers developed a new preparation method for manganese oxide supported on activated carbon, a material known for its large surface area and strong adsorption capacity. The key innovation involved using ethanol instead of water during the catalyst impregnation process.
The study showed that ethanol improves the interaction between the manganese precursor and the carbon support. Because ethanol has lower polarity and surface tension than water, it spreads more easily across the carbon surface and penetrates the pores more effectively. This allows the active manganese oxide species to disperse more uniformly throughout the catalyst structure.
Category: Research
