Oxidation behaviors of metallic copper particles in NO reduction mechanism of copper/activated carbons

The reduction of nitric oxide (NO) over Cu/ACFs, prepared by copper electroplating, has been studied. It is found that copper content on the ACFs increases with increasing plating time (up to 45 wt%), while the textural properties including specific surface areas and total pore volumes decrease. As an experimental result, the NO reduction efficiency is increased in all of the Cu/ACFs, and it is confirmed that NO is converted into nitrogen and oxygen on the Cu/ACF surfaces (at 500°C). Especially, the Cu metals on the ACF surfaces scavenge oxygen by oxidizing themselves into Cu₂O and finally CuO as a reductant. It is indicated that copper metals on the Cu/ACFs play a major role in the NO removal in this system.