Cerium and tin oxides anchored onto reduced graphene oxide for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH(3) at low temperatures

A series of cerium and tin oxides anchored on reduced graphene oxide (CeO(2)–SnO(x)/rGO) catalysts are synthesized using a hydrothermal method and their catalytic activities are investigated by selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with NH(3) in the temperature range of 120–280 °C. The results indicate that the CeO(2)–SnO(x)/rGO catalyst shows high SCR activity and high selectivity to N(2) in the temperature range of 120–280 °C. The catalyst with a mass ratio of (Ce + Sn)/GO = 3.9 exhibits NO conversion of about 86% at 160 °C, above 97% NO conversion at temperatures of 200–280 °C and higher than 95% N(2) selectivity at 120–280 °C. In addition, the catalyst presents a certain SO(2) resistance. It is found that the highly dispersed CeO(2) nanoparticles are deposited on the surface of rGO nanosheets, because of the incorporation of Sn(4+) into the lattice of CeO(2). The mesoporous structures of the CeO(2)–SnO(x)/rGO catalyst provides a large specific surface area and more active sites for facilitating the adsorption of reactant species, leading to high SCR activity. More importantly, the synergistic interaction between cerium and tin oxides is responsible for the excellent SCR activity, which results in a higher ratio of Ce(3+)/(Ce(3+) + Ce(4+)), higher concentrations of surface chemisorbed oxygen and oxygen vacancies, more strong acid sites and stronger acid strength on the surface of the CeSn(3.9)/rGO catalyst.