Impact of carbon on the surface and activity of silica–carbon supported copper catalysts for reduction of nitrogen oxides

Abstract Composite catalysts, prepared by one or more active components supported on a support are of interest because of the possible interaction between the catalytic components and the support materials. The supports of combined hydrophilic-hydrophobic type may influence how these materials maintain an active phase and as a result a possible cooperation between active components and the support material could occur and affects the catalytic behavior. Silica–carbon nanocomposites were prepared by sol–gel, using different in specific surface areas and porous texture carbon materials. Catalysts were obtained after copper deposition on these composites. The nanocomposites and the catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, TG, XRD, TEM- HRTEM, H 2 -TPR, and XPS. The nature of the carbon predetermines the composite's texture. The IEPs of carbon materials and silica is a force of composites formation and determines the respective distribution of the silica and carbon components on the surface of the composites. Copper deposition over the investigated silica–carbon composites leads to formation of active phases in which copper is in different oxidation states. The reduction of NO with CO proceeds by different paths on different catalysts due to the textural differences of the composites, maintaining different surface composition and oxidation states of copper.