Impact of Different Synthesis Methods on the Low-Temperature Deactivation of Cu/SAPO-34 for NH3-SCR Reaction

SAPO-34 were synthesized using three structure-directing agents (SDAs), i.e., tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH), triethylamine (TEA), and morpholine (MO). These SAPO-34 supports were used to prepare Cu/SAPO-34 catalysts via two different Cu-exchange methods: incipient wetness impregnation (IWI) and solid-state ion exchange (SSIE). The catalytic performance of Cu/SAPO-34(TEAOH, TEA, MO) catalysts prepared with IWI and SSIE before and after exposure to water vapor at 70 °C was systemically examined, and their deactivation behavior during low-temperature NH3-SCR reaction was studied. These catalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, ICP-SFMS, SEM/EDX, solid-state NMR, CO-DRIFTS, NO-DRIFTS, and H2-TPR. The various characterization findings for the Cu/SAPO-34 catalysts suggest that the distribution of different Cu2+ species and the mobility of Cu2+ in chabazite (CHA) structure are important for the low-temperature deactivation and regeneration behaviors of the Cu/SAPO-34(TEAOH, TEA, MO)-IWI and -SSIE during the NH3-SCR reaction. Thus, it has been determined that the choice of SDA and Cu-exchange method is vital to design of an efficient Cu/SAPO-34 catalyst that is highly active during a NH3-SCR reaction and has a high tolerance for the low-temperature deactivation caused by exposure to water vapor.