N₂O reduction by CO over Pt electrode in a solid oxide electrolyte cell

Abstract

The reduction of nitrous oxide by carbon monoxide in a cell with a solid oxygen-conducting electrolyte $- {\text{CO}} + {\text{N}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O,}}\;{\text{Pt}}\,{\text{|}}\,{\text{0}}{\text{.9ZrO2}} + {\text{0}}{\text{.1Y}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}_{\text{3}} \,{\text{|}}\,{\text{Pt}} + {\text{PrO}}_{\text{2}}$, air – was studied. Experiments were performed in the temperature range 410–$410 - 670^\circ {\text{C}}$. The reaction kinetics under open-circuit conditions and the effect of current passing through the cell on the reaction rate were found to depend on the gaseous composition. In particular: (i) for a reaction mixture rich in N₂O, in contrast to the reaction mixture rich in CO, the temperature steady-state multiplicity of the reaction was observed under open-circuit conditions; (ii) for the reaction mixture rich in CO, in contrast to the reaction mixture rich in N₂O, a slight non-Faradaic enhancement of the reaction rate upon cathodic current application was demonstrated.