Efficient NO_x abatement by passive adsorption over a Pd-SAPO-34 catalyst prepared by solid-state ion exchange

Palladium-exchanged chabazite(Pd-CHA) zeolites as passive NO_x adsorbers(PNAs) enable efficient purification of nitrogen oxides(NO_x) in cold-start diesel exhausts. Their commercial application, however,is limited by the lack of facile preparation method. Here, high-performance CHA-type Pd-SAPO-34 zeolite was synthesized by a modified solid-state ion exchange(SSIE) method using PdO as Pd precursor,and demonstrated superior PNA performance as compared to Pd-SAPO-34 prepared by conventional wetchemistry strategies. Structural characterization using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that the SSIE method avoided water-induced damage to the zeolite framework during Pd loading. Mechanistic investigations on the SSIE process by in situ infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy disclosed that, while PdO precursor was mainly converted to Pd^(2+) cations coordinated to the zeolite framework by consuming the-OH groups of the zeolite, a portion of PdO could also undergo thermal decomposition to form highly dispersed Pd~0 clusters in the pore channels. This simplified and scalable SSIE method paves a new way for the cost-effective synthesis of defect-free high-performance Pd-SAPO-34 zeolites as PNA catalysts.