Catalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide on strontium-substituted La<inf>2</inf>CuO<inf>4</inf> materials

Catalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide (N2O) to N2 and O2 has been studied on a series of solid oxide solutions of La, Sr and Cu according to the nominal formula La2-xSrxCuO4 (0≤x≤1). The reaction has been carried out in a fixed bed, glass static reactor with gas-recirculation facility. The kinetics of decomposition has been studied in the temperature range 250-480‡C. Among the catalysts studied, x=0.15 and x=1.0 showed higher catalytic activity (in terms of %conversion). The enhanced activity of the above systems has been explained on the basis of mixed valency of copper (Cu2+/Cu3+) and anion vacancies respectively. © 1995 J.C. Baltzer AG, Science Publishers.