Novel CuO@TiO₂ Core–Shell Nanostructure Catalyst for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO_x with NH₃

CuO@TiO₂ core–shell nanostructure catalyst with CuO core and TiO₂ shell was prepared by a two-step method and then used in NH₃-SCR reaction. FE-SEM, TEM and element mapping were used to investigate the morphologies of the sample. Their results indicated CuO nanorods were coated with TiO₂ and thus forming a core–shell nanostructure. According to the results of N₂ adsorption–desorption, XRD, Raman, XPS, NH₃-TPD, H₂-TPR and in situ DRIFTS, the core–shell nanostructure would benefit the formation of better redox ability, more oxygen vacancies, more acid sites and abundant adsorbed NO_x species on the catalyst. Thus, the core–shell nanostructure catalyst presented significantly higher activity than pure CuO and TiO₂. NH₃-SCR reaction on CuO@TiO₂ core–shell catalyst should follow both Eley–Rideal (E-R) mechanism and Langmuir-Hinshewood (L–H) mechanism. These findings may promote the development of the new effective non-vanadium-based SCR catalysts. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]