Potassium promoted Y2O3-Co3O4 catalysts for N2O decomposition

A Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst was prepared by an innovative co-precipitation method at the solution boiling temperature, and tested for the N2O decomposition reaction. The catalyst exhibited a higher catalytic activity than that prepared by the common co-precipitation method at 90 °C. In addition, the catalytic performance of the Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst was further enhanced by K-promoter, which might be related to the weakening of CoO bond and higher concentration of adsorbed oxygen (Oα) on the catalyst surface. Even under the co-presence of oxygen and steam in the feed stream, the K/Y2O3-Co3O4 catalyst showed good catalytic stability and maintained 100% conversion of N2O after a continuous reaction at 400 °C for 30 h.