Phosphorus poisoning and regeneration of the Cu-LTA catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3

In this study, the phosphorus poisoning and regeneration of the Cu-LTA catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3-SCR) were investigated. Since Cu-LTA possesses high hydrothermal stability, harsh conditions can be used for the regeneration of phosphorus-poisoned Cu-LTA. It was found that the phosphorus-poisoned Cu-LTA can totally recover its low-temperature activity by hydrothermal aging at 900 °C for 1 h owing to the decomposition of Cu-P species. The influence of the gas composition of the atmosphere during the formation and regeneration of Cu-P species has not been reported yet, while we found that the O2 and H2O in the atmosphere have negative and positive effects on the decomposition of Cu-P species, respectively. Thus, the reduction of O2 in the atmosphere promoted the decomposition of Cu-P species and reduced the temperature needed for the regeneration of phosphorus-poisoned Cu-LTA. This work further proved the great potential of Cu-LTA for practical applications. © 2024 The Royal Society of Chemistry.