Esta tese teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho de catalisadores de Rh suportados em cério-zircônio (CZ) e em óxido misto de magnésio e alumínio (HT) derivado de hidrotalcita na reação de redução do NO pelo CO em meio estequiométrico. Os suportes puros e impregnados com Rh foram nomeados CZ, RhCZ, HT e RhHT. Os suportes foram preparados por coprecipitação e o metal nobre foi adicionado no teor de 0,15% (m/m) por impregnação a seco. Foram realizados testes de caracterização como fisissorção de N2, DRX, TPR, espectroscopia Raman, DRIFTS, TGA-DTA e TPD-CO/NO. Para a avaliação catalítica, foi utilizada uma mistura de 1%NO + 1%CO em He e a atividade e seletividade foram expressas através das concentrações dos gases envolvidos ao longo de uma rampa de temperatura desde a temperatura ambiente até 500C. Os resultados de caracterização indicaram nítidas diferenças estruturais e físico-químicas entre os dois tipos de catalisadores nas isotermas de adsorção de N2, nos perfis de redução e nos difratogramas, já dando indícios de que os mecanismos de reação seriam diferentes. Pelas análises de DRIFTS identifica-se a presença de bandas características de espécies de CO adsorvidas no Rh somente para o catalisador RhCZ a baixa temperatura, ressaltando a interação Rh-CZ, também evidenciadas pelos resultados de Raman, mas que provavelmente não ocorrem com o óxido misto de Al e Mg. Observou-se que o suporte de CZ foi mais ativo a baixas temperaturas que o suporte de HT, porém o catalisador RhHT foi mais seletivo a N2 a 350C e emitiu menos N2O ao longo da faixa de temperatura avaliada do que o catalisador RhCZ. Resultados de TPD de NO e comparações de curvas experimentais e teóricas envolvendo as concentrações de CO, CO2 e NOx durante os testes catalíticos, acompanhados também pelas análises de DRIFTS nas mesmas condições, indicam que a redução do Rh e a afinidade do catalisador pelo NO são importantes para favorecer a maior seletividade da reação de redução do NO pelo CO a N2. / The aim of this work was to evaluate the catalytic performance of cerium-zirconium and hydrotalcite-like Mg-Al mixed oxide as supports in the reduction of NO by CO catalyzed by rhodium. The pure supports and metallic catalysts were named CZ, RhCZ, HT and RhHT. The supports were prepared by coprecipitation and were impregnated with 0,15% wt. of Rh. Characterization tests such as N2 fisisorption, XRD, TPR, Raman spectroscopy, DRIFTS, TGA-DTA and NO/CO TPD were performed. To measure the catalytic activity, a gas mixture containing 1% NO + 1% CO in He was used. Activity and selectivity were expressed by means of the gas concentrations measured all over a temperature range, from room temperature to 500C. The characterization results clearly indicated structural and physicochemical differences between the two supports in N2 adsorption isotherms, XRD and TPR profiles and therefore, they would work through different mechanisms. DRIFTS analyses indicated the presence of bands resulting from the adsorption of CO on Rh at low temperatures on RhCZ catalyst, evidencing the great synergy between Rh and CZ, already indicated by Raman results. This synergic effect probably did not occur in RhHT catalyst. The CZ support was more active at low temperatures than HT, however, RhHT catalyst was more selective to N2 at 350 C and emitted less N2O than RhCZ through the evaluated temperature range.The NO TPD results and the comparison of theoretical and experimental CO, CO2 and NOx curves during catalytic tests, also followed by DRIFTS, indicate that Rh reduction and the affinity with NO are important parameters to achieve higher selectivity to N2 in the reduction of NO by CO.

Esta tese teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho de catalisadores de Rh suportados em cério-zircônio (CZ) e em óxido misto de magnésio e alumínio (HT) derivado de hidrotalcita na reação de redução do NO pelo CO em meio estequiométrico. Os suportes puros e impregnados com Rh foram nomeados CZ, RhCZ, HT e RhHT. Os suportes foram preparados por coprecipitação e o metal nobre foi adicionado no teor de 0,15% (m/m) por impregnação a seco. Foram realizados testes de caracterização como fisissorção de N2, DRX, TPR, espectroscopia Raman, DRIFTS, TGA-DTA e TPD-CO/NO. Para a avaliação catalítica, foi utilizada uma mistura de 1%NO + 1%CO em He e a atividade e seletividade foram expressas através das concentrações dos gases envolvidos ao longo de uma rampa de temperatura desde a temperatura ambiente até 500C. Os resultados de caracterização indicaram nítidas diferenças estruturais e físico-químicas entre os dois tipos de catalisadores nas isotermas de adsorção de N2, nos perfis de redução e nos difratogramas, já dando indícios de que os mecanismos de reação seriam diferentes. Pelas análises de DRIFTS identifica-se a presença de bandas características de espécies de CO adsorvidas no Rh somente para o catalisador RhCZ a baixa temperatura, ressaltando a interação Rh-CZ, também evidenciadas pelos resultados de Raman, mas que provavelmente não ocorrem com o óxido misto de Al e Mg. Observou-se que o suporte de CZ foi mais ativo a baixas temperaturas que o suporte de HT, porém o catalisador RhHT foi mais seletivo a N2 a 350C e emitiu menos N2O ao longo da faixa de temperatura avaliada do que o catalisador RhCZ. Resultados de TPD de NO e comparações de curvas experimentais e teóricas envolvendo as concentrações de CO, CO2 e NOx durante os testes catalíticos, acompanhados também pelas análises de DRIFTS nas mesmas condições, indicam que a redução do Rh e a afinidade do catalisador pelo NO são importantes para favorecer a maior seletividade da reação de redução do NO pelo CO a N2. / The aim of this work was to evaluate the catalytic performance of cerium-zirconium and hydrotalcite-like Mg-Al mixed oxide as supports in the reduction of NO by CO catalyzed by rhodium. The pure supports and metallic catalysts were named CZ, RhCZ, HT and RhHT. The supports were prepared by coprecipitation and were impregnated with 0,15% wt. of Rh. Characterization tests such as N2 fisisorption, XRD, TPR, Raman spectroscopy, DRIFTS, TGA-DTA and NO/CO TPD were performed. To measure the catalytic activity, a gas mixture containing 1% NO + 1% CO in He was used. Activity and selectivity were expressed by means of the gas concentrations measured all over a temperature range, from room temperature to 500C. The characterization results clearly indicated structural and physicochemical differences between the two supports in N2 adsorption isotherms, XRD and TPR profiles and therefore, they would work through different mechanisms. DRIFTS analyses indicated the presence of bands resulting from the adsorption of CO on Rh at low temperatures on RhCZ catalyst, evidencing the great synergy between Rh and CZ, already indicated by Raman results. This synergic effect probably did not occur in RhHT catalyst. The CZ support was more active at low temperatures than HT, however, RhHT catalyst was more selective to N2 at 350 C and emitted less N2O than RhCZ through the evaluated temperature range.The NO TPD results and the comparison of theoretical and experimental CO, CO2 and NOx curves during catalytic tests, also followed by DRIFTS, indicate that Rh reduction and the affinity with NO are important parameters to achieve higher selectivity to N2 in the reduction of NO by CO.

Yes / In this work, the effect of the nanosized CZA2 (cerium-zirconium-aluminium) on the performance and emissions in a two- cylinder indirect injection (IDI) diesel engine, was studied. CZA2 was dispersed in diesel (D100) and waste cooking oil and tallow origin biodiesel-diesel blends (B10, B20, B30) and tested at different engine loads and constant speed. The nanocatalyst (CZA2) increased the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and decreased the brake thermal efficiency (BTE, %) of all tested fuels, at all loads, except B20 at the lowest load. CZA2 reduced nitrogen oxides (NOx) from D100 at low and high engine loads, as well as carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) at medium and high tested loads. The dispersion of CZA2 promoted the combustion of the biodiesel blends by almost eliminating HC while reducing NOx and CO emissions at various loads. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with Attenuated Total Reflectance- Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that the addition of CZA2 in diesel and biodiesel under pyrolysis and oxidation conditions resulted in the presence of saturated species like ketones and final oxidation products such as CO2, supporting their improved combustion and emissions’ reduction in the engine tests.

Les oxydes mixtes de cérium-zirconium sont au cœur de nombreux sujets de recherche. En effet, ces matériaux sont utilisés dans différents domaines d'application, et tout particulièrement en catalyse, dans les catalyseurs trois voies en automobile ou pour l'oxydation de polluants organiques. L'intérêt pour ce composé réside dans ses propriétés remarquables d'oxydoréduction, sa capacité de stockage de l'oxygène et sa résistance au frittage. En conséquence, un nombre important de méthodes de synthèse ont été mises au point et soulignent la grande sensibilité de cet oxyde mixte à la voie de préparation employée. Dans le cadre de ce travail deux grandes voies de synthèses ont été utilisées, la co-précipitation (milieu aqueux) et la dégradation des -dicétonates métalliques (milieu non aqueux). Ces synthèses ont été réalisées à l'aide de plusieurs techniques que sont (i) le chauffage à pression atmosphérique, (ii) le traitement hydrothermal, (iii) la sonolyse et (iv) la combinaison de la sonolyse et du traitement hydrothermal, de façon successive ou en simultané. Afin de pouvoir réaliser cette dernière méthode de synthèse innovante, un réacteur permettant de réaliser un traitement sonochimique en température et sous pression a été développé (réacteur sonothermal). L'activité chimique des ultrasons dans ces conditions a pu être mise en évidence lors de la sonolyse de l'eau (légère ou lourde) et de celle d'un hydrocarbure. Au cours de la préparation de (Ce,Zr)O2, des paramètres autres que le dispositif de synthèse ont été étudiés, comme la présence d'un surfactant ou la longueur de chaine du solvant. Ainsi, il a pu être démontré que, dans le cas de la voie aqueuse, l'utilisation du réacteur sonothermal a une réelle incidence sur la surface spécifique du matériau final en comparaison de la réalisation successive des traitements sonochimique et hydrothermal. Les oxydes présentant les propriétés structurales les plus intéressantes ont été sélectionnés afin d'être employé en tant que support de métal noble dans des catalyseurs de type Pt/(Ce,Zr)O2. L'évaluation de l'activité catalytique de ces matériaux, lors de l'oxydation catalytique à l'air humide de l'acide formique, a montré que celle-ci dépend non seulement du mode de synthèse de l'oxyde mixte, mais également de la voie de dépôt du platine et du couple méthode de dépôt du platine/méthode de synthèse du support. / Cerium-zirconium mixed oxides are at the heart of numerous research subjects. Indeed, these materials are used in different fields of application, and particularly in catalysis in three-way catalyst for automobile or for organic pollutant oxidation. The interest for this compound resides in its remarkable oxidoreduction properties, its oxygen storage capacity and its resistance to sintering. Consequently, numerous preparation methods have been developed and underline the high sensitivity of these oxides to the synthesis way. In the present work, two main synthesis have been employed, coprecipitation (aqueous medium) and  diketonate degradation (non-aqueous medium). These syntheses have been realized with several techniques which are (i) heating at atmospheric pressure, (ii) hydrothermal treatment, (iii) sonolysis and (iv) combination of sonolysis and hydrothermal treatments, in a successive or simultaneous way. In order to realize this last and innovative method, a reactor allowing sonochemical treatment under high temperature and pressure has been developed. Under these conditions, the ultrasounds chemical activity has been proved during light or heavy water or hydrocarbon sonolysis. During the (Ce,Zr)O2 preparation, other parameters than the synthesis technique have been studied such as the surfactant presence or the solvent chain length. Thus, it has been shown that, in the case of aqueous synthesis, the use of the sonothermal reactor has a real effect on the specific surface area of the material in comparison of successive realization of sonochemical and hydrothermal treatments. Oxides with the more interesting structural properties have been selected for being used as supports of noble metal in the Pt/(Ce,Zr)O2 catalysts. The evaluation of the catalytic activity of these materials, during the catalytic wet air oxidation of formic acid, showed that it not only depends on the synthesis method, but also on the platinum deposition method and the pair platinum deposition method/support synthesis method.

Abstract Exhaust gas emissions, e.g. nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HCs) and carbon monoxide (CO), are harmful to human health and the environment. Catalysis is an efficient method to decrease these emissions. Unfortunately, the fuels and lubricant oils may contain chemical impurities that are also present in exhaust gases. Thus, catalytic materials with high activity and chemical resistance towards impurities are needed in the abatement of exhaust gas emission. In this thesis, the aim was to gain new knowledge about the effects of chemical impurities on the behaviour and activity of the catalysts. To find out these effects, the impurities existing in the exhaust gas particulate matter after combustion of biofuels and fossil fuels were analysed. The studied zeolite (ZSM-5), cerium-zirconium mixed oxides (CeZr and ZrCe) and silicon-zirconium oxide (SiZr) based catalysts were also treated with impurities to simulate the poisoning of the catalysts by, e.g. potassium, sodium, phosphorus and sulphur, using gas or liquid phase treatments. Several characterization techniques were applied to find out the effects of impurities on catalysts’ properties. The activity of catalysts was tested in laboratory-scale measurements in CO and HC oxidation and NOx reduction using ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen (H2) as reductants. The results revealed that the CeZr based catalysts had a high activity in NOx reduction by NH3 and moderate activity by H2. Sulphur was proven to enhance the activity of CeZr catalysts in NOx reduction. This is due to an increase in chemisorbed oxygen after the sulphur treatment on the catalyst surface. Instead, in HC and CO oxidation reactions, sulphur had a negligible impact on the activity of the SiZr based diesel oxidation catalyst. Thus, both CeZr and SiZr based catalysts can be utilized in exhaust gas purification when sulphur is present. ZSM-5 based catalysts were proven to be resistant to potassium and sodium. Alternatively, the activity of SiZr based catalysts decreased due to phosphorus. Thus, the removal of biomaterial-based impurities from the exhaust gases is needed to retain high catalyst activity in the exhaust gas after-treatment system. / Tiivistelmä Pakokaasupäästöissä olevat typen oksidit (NOx), hiilivedyt (HCs) ja hiilimonoksidi (CO) ovat haitallisia ihmisten terveydelle ja ympäristölle. Katalyysi on tehokas menetelmä vähentää näitä päästökomponentteja. Polttoaineet ja voiteluöljyt sisältävät epäpuhtauksia, jotka siirtyvät myös pakokaasuihin. Tästä johtuen pakokaasupäästöjen hallinnassa tarvitaan katalyyttimateriaaleja, joilla on hyvä vastustuskyky myrkyttymistä vastaan. Tavoitteena oli saada uutta tietoa kemiallisten epäpuhtauksien vaikutuksesta katalyyttien toimintaan. Biopolttoaineiden sisältämät mahdolliset epäpuhtaudet selvitettiin analysoimalla fossiilisen ja biopolttoaineen palamisessa muodostuvia partikkeleita ja vertaamalla niitä polttoaineiden hivenaineanalyysiin. Tutkimuksessa käytetyt zeoliitti (ZSM-5), cerium-zirkonium-sekaoksidi (CeZr) ja pii-zirkonium-oksidipohjaiset (SiZr) katalyytit käsiteltiin epäpuhtauksilla (kalium, natrium, fosfori ja rikki) kaasu- ja nestefaasissa. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin useita karakterisointitekniikoita, joiden avulla selvitettiin epäpuhtauksien vaikutuksia katalyyttien ominaisuuksiin. Katalyyttien toimintaa testattiin laboratoriomittakaavan kokeissa CO:n ja HC-yhdisteiden hapetuksessa sekä NOx:ien pelkistyksessä käyttäen ammoniakkia (NH3) tai vetyä (H2) pelkistimenä. Tulokset osoittavat, että CeZr-pohjaisten katalyyttien aktiivisuus NOx:ien pelkistyksessä oli hyvä käytettäessä pelkistimenä NH3:a ja kohtalainen käytettäessä vetyä. Rikki paransi CeZr-katalyyttien aktiivisuutta NOx:ien pelkistyksessä, mikä johtui kemiallisesti sitoutuneen hapen osuudesta katalyyttien pinnoilla. Vastaavasti hiilivetyjen ja CO:n hapetusreaktioissa rikki ei vaikuttanut SiZr-pohjaisten dieselhapetuskatalyyttien aktiivisuuteen. Sekä CeZr- ja SiZr-pohjaisia katalyytteja voidaan siten käyttää rikkiä sisältävien pakokaasujen puhdistuksessa. SiZr-pohjaisten katalyyttien aktiivisuus laski fosforin vuoksi. ZSM-5-pohjaiset katalyytit olivat vastustuskykyisiä kaliumille ja natriumille. Kestäviä katalyyttejä on siten kehitettävä, mikäli biopolttoaineiden sisältämien epäpuhtauksien poistaminen polttoaineista ei ole mahdollista.