Influence of support composition on the reduction of nitric oxide over rhodium catalysts

The NO reduction by CO and H/sub 2/ over Rh/SiO/sub 2/, Rh/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, Rh/MgO, Rh/La/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and Rh/TiO/sub 2/ was investigated. Support composition was found to influence the activity, but not the selectivity of Rh. Exceptionally high low-temperature activity was obtained with Rh/TiO/sub 2/. The rate parameters for NO reduction over Rh/TiO/sub 2/ are distinctly different from those for all other catalysts. The high activity of Rh/TiO/sub 2/ is attributed to the presence of catalytically active centers on the support as well as on the surface of the supported Rh crystallites.