Preparation and Performance of Cerium-Based Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides: A Critical Review

Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides with NH3 (NH3-SCR) is still the most commonly used control technology for nitrogen oxides emission. Specifically, the application of rare earth materials has become more and more extensive. CeO2 was widely developed in NH3-SCR reaction due to its good redox performance, proper surface acidity and abundant resource reserves. Therefore, a large number of papers in the literature have described the research of cerium-based catalysts. This review critically summarized the development of the different components of cerium-based catalysts, and characterized the preparation methods, the catalytic performance and reaction mechanisms of the cerium-based catalysts for NH3-SCR. The purpose of this review is to highlight: (1) the modification effect of the various metal elements for cerium-based catalysts; (2) various synthesis methods of the cerium-based catalysts; and (3) the physicochemical properties of the various catalysts and clarify their relations to catalytic performances, particularly in the presence of SO2 and H2O. Finally, we hope that this work can give timely technical guidance and valuable insights for the applications of NH3-SCR in the field of NOx control.