Enhanced performance and cost-effectiveness of Pd-based catalysts with Cu, Ni, and Co promoters for CO and NOx conversion in flue gas emission

This study investigates the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of cobalt, nickel, and copper as promoters for palladium catalysts supported on pelletized aluminum oxide, aimed to enhance the performance of catalytic converters for flue gas treatment. We explored the outstanding performance and conversion costs of these transition metals and noble metal catalysts. A series of 12 samples with varying metal loadings were synthesized and evaluated under conditions simulating real driving environments from the automotive world. The flue gas conversion results demonstrated significant improvements in catalytic activity across all promoter-enhanced samples. Notably, the 5 wt% Co + 0.1 wt% Pd combination exhibited a remarkable 38 % increase in CO conversion at 0.5 kW operating condition and a 27 % improvement at 1.0 kW while reducing the cost of conversion by 61 %, compared to the 0.1 wt% Pd benchmark. Regarding NOx conversion, Ni/Pd samples showed superior performance, with enhancements of 14 % at 0.5 kW and 36 % at 1.0 kW relative to the pure Pd catalyst. The observed performance enhancements are suggestive of a synergistic effect … Further surface characterization would be needed to fully elucidate the specific mechanisms involved. Our research highlights the potential for developing more efficient and cost-effective catalytic systems for automotive emissions control through strategic metal combinations.