Promotional effect of stannum on Pd/CeO2 catalysts for CO and C3H6 co-oxidation

The successful control of hydrocarbon and CO emissions from low-temperature diesel exhausts requires the use of highly active co-oxidation catalysts. In this study, Sn was used to enhance the catalytic performance of Pd/CeO2 in CO and C3H6 co-oxidation conditions. CeO2 with added stannum (Sn) was prepared as a support using the co-precipitation method, and Pd was loaded onto the support using the impregnation method. After Sn addition (the optimal Ce/Sn ratio is 0.75:0.25), the T50 values of CO and C3H6 are reduced by 20 and 32 °C, respectively. A series of characterization methods indicates that the addition of Sn to the support greatly enhances its lattice oxygen mobility and increases the proportion of PdO. During the co-oxidation process, stronger lattice oxygen mobility allows CO to react faster through the Mars–van Krevelen mechanism, weakening the competition with C3H6 for O2. A higher PdO content enhances the C3H6 oxidation capability. Moreover, CO can more readily reduce PdO than Pd2+ in solid solution with the support, which consequently further enhances co-oxidation activity. Therefore, the addition of Sn is a simple and effective strategy for enhancing the performance of Pd/CeO2 catalysts in CO and C3H6 co-oxidation reactions. Furthermore, the promotional effect of CO achieved in this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interactions that occur during the co-oxidation of C3H6 and CO.