Catalyst production method therefor and use thereof for decomposing N

1. A catalyst for the decomposition of N 2 O into nitrogen and oxygen in the gas phase, which comprises a porous support chosen from the group consisting of:

a polycrystalline inorganic material comprising magnesium oxide;

a polycrystalline inorganic material comprising a ceramic mixed oxide comprising at least 50% by mass of magnesium oxide;

a vitreous inorganic material comprising magnesium oxide; and

a vitreous inorganic material comprising a ceramic mixed oxide comprising at least 50% by mass of magnesium oxide,

said porous support having a functional layer comprising cerium oxide applied thereto and a layer of oxidic cobalt-containing material applied over said cerium oxide functional layer,

wherein the layer of material comprising oxidic cobalt comprises cobalt compounds in which at least 30% of the Co atoms are present in the chemically trivalent state.

2. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the porous support comprises ceramic material.

3. The catalyst as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the ceramic mixed oxide comprises, in addition to the MgO, up to 50% by mass of another inorganic oxide chosen from the group consisting of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , CaO, Fe 2 O 3 and mixtures thereof.

4. The catalyst as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the ceramic mixed oxide comprises, in addition to the MgO, up to 20% by mass of another inorganic oxide chosen from the group consisting of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , CaO, Fe 2 O 3 and mixtures thereof.

5. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic mixed oxide comprises, in addition to the MgO, up to 50% by mass of another inorganic oxide chosen from the group consisting of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , CaO, Fe 2 O 3 and mixtures thereof.

6. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic mixed oxide comprises, in addition to the MgO, up to 20% by mass of another inorganic oxide chosen from the group consisting of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , CaO, Fe 2 O 3 and mixtures thereof.

7. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the open porosity of the porous support is in the range of from 20 to 60% based on the total volume of the porous support.

8. The catalyst as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the catalyst has a ratio of surface area to volume of from 0.5 to 10 mm −1 .

9. The catalyst as claimed claim 8 , wherein the oxidic cobalt-containing material is chosen from the group consisting of: an oxide or oxides of cobalt, a mixed oxide or mixed oxides containing cobalt; and combinations thereof.

10. The catalyst as claimed in claim 9 , wherein at least one compound containing oxidic cobalt has a perovskite or spinel structure.

11. The catalyst as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the cerium oxide functional layer comprises a cerium containing oxide chosen from the group consisting of: cerium oxide and mixed oxides in which up to 50 mol % of the cerium ions has been replaced by other metal ions.

12. The catalyst as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the oxidic cobalt-containing material is chosen from the group consisting of: an oxide or oxides of cobalt, a mixed oxide or mixed oxides containing cobalt; and combinations thereof.

13. The catalyst as claimed in claim 12 , wherein at least one compound containing oxidic cobalt has a perovskite or spinel structure.

14. The catalyst as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the layer of material comprising oxidic cobalt comprises cobalt compounds in which at least 30% of the Co atoms are present in the chemically trivalent state.

15. The catalyst as claimed in claim 14 , wherein its bulk density is from 0.5 to 2 g/cm 3 , preferably from 0.75 to 1.5 g/cm 3 .

16. The catalyst as claimed in claim 15 , wherein its proportion of porous support is at least 85% by weight, its proportion of cerium oxide functional layer is from 2 to 14% by weight and its proportion of a layer of material comprising oxidic cobalt is from 0.1 to 5% by weight, with the figures being based on the total weight of the catalyst.

17. The catalyst as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the catalyst has a ratio of surface area to volume of from 1 to 5 mm −1 .

18. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the open porosity of the porous support is in the range of from 40 to 50% based on the total volume of the porous support.

19. The catalyst as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the catalyst has a ratio of surface area to volume of from 0.5 to 10 mm −1 .

20. The catalyst as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the catalyst has a ratio of surface area to volume of from 1 to 5 mm −1 .

21. The catalyst as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the cerium oxide functional layer comprises a cerium containing oxide chosen from the group consisting of: cerium oxide and mixed oxides in which up to 50 mol % of the cerium ions has been replaced by other metal ions.

22. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cerium oxide functional layer comprises a cerium containing oxide chosen from the group consisting of: cerium oxide and mixed oxides in which up to 50 mol % of the cerium ions has been replaced by other metal ions.

23. The catalyst as claimed claim 22 , wherein the oxidic cobalt-containing material is chosen from the group consisting of: an oxide or oxides of cobalt, a mixed oxide or mixed oxides containing cobalt; and combinations thereof.

24. The catalyst as claimed in claim 23 , wherein at least one compound containing oxidic cobalt has a perovskite or spinel structure.

25. The catalyst as claimed claim 1 wherein the oxidic cobalt-containing material is chosen from the group consisting of: an oxide or oxides of cobalt, a mixed oxide or mixed oxides containing cobalt; and combinations thereof.

26. The catalyst as claimed in claim 24 wherein at least one compound containing oxidic cobalt has a perovskite or spinel structure.

27. The catalyst as claimed in claim 26 wherein the layer of material comprising oxidic cobalt comprises cobalt compounds in which at least 30% of the Co atoms are present in the chemically trivalent state.

28. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one compound containing oxidic cobalt has a perovskite or spinel structure.

29. The catalyst as claimed in claim 28 wherein the layer of material comprising oxidic cobalt comprises cobalt compounds in which at least 30% of the Co atoms are present in the chemically trivalent state.

30. The catalyst as claimed in claim 28 , wherein its bulk density is from 0.5 to 2 g/cm 3 , preferably from 0.75 to 1.5 g/cm 3 .

31. The catalyst as claimed in claim 30 wherein its proportion of porous support is at least 85% by weight, its proportion of cerium oxide functional layer is from 2 to 14% by weight and its proportion of a layer of material comprising oxidic cobalt is from 0.1 to 5% by weight, with the figures being based on the total weight of the catalyst.

32. A process for producing the catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises:

i.) sintering a green body to produce a porous support composed of polycrystalline or vitreous inorganic material comprising magnesium oxide or a ceramic mixed oxide comprising at least 50% by mass of magnesium oxide;

ii.) impregnating the porous support obtained in step i) at least one time, with a solution containing a dissolved cerium salt;

iii.) forming at least one cerium containing layer chosen from the group consisting of: cerium oxide functional layers and precursors to a cerium oxide functional layer by a treatment step chosen from the group consisting of: drying and calcination of the impregnated support obtained in step ii);

iv.) impregnating the coated support obtained in step iii) at least once with a solution containing a dissolved cobalt salt; and

v.) forming a functional layer comprising a cobalt compound chosen from the group consisting of oxidic cobalt and precursors to oxidic cobalt by a treatment chosen from the group consisting of: drying and calcining the impregnated support obtained in step iv).

33. The process as claimed in claim 32 , wherein sintering of the green body in step i) is carried out at temperatures in the range from 1000 to 1300° C.

34. The process as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said green body used in step i) comprises a magnesium containing material chosen from the group consisting of: magnesium oxide; blends of magnesium oxide with other metal oxides; precursors thereto and combinations of any of the foregoing.

35. The process as claimed in claim 32 , wherein cerium nitrate is used as cerium salt in step ii).

36. The process as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the cobalt salt in step iv) is chosen from the group consisting of cobalt nitrate, cobalt acetate and combinations thereof.

37. The process as claimed in claim 36 wherein the sintering of the green body in step i) is carried out at temperatures in the range from 1000 to 1300° C.

38. The process as claimed in claim 37 , wherein one of said precursors comprises magnesium carbonate.

39. The process as claimed in claim 38 , wherein cerium nitrate is used as cerium salt in step ii).

40. The process as claimed in claim 39 , wherein the cobalt salt used in step iv) is chosen from the group consisting of cobalt nitrate, cobalt acetate and combinations thereof.

41. The process as claimed in claim 40 wherein the sintering of the green body in step i) is carried out at temperatures in the range from 1000 to 1300° C.

42. A process for selective decomposition of nitrous oxide in gases also comprising nitric oxide, comprising passing said gas through the catalyst of claim 1 at a temperature in excess of 400° C.

43. The process for selective decomposition of nitrous oxide in gases also comprising nitric oxide as claimed in claim 42 , wherein the process is carried out on a gaseous stream derived from industrial production; water treatment; waste incineration plants; a gas turbine or a motor vehicle.

44. The process for selective decomposition of nitrous oxide in gases also comprising nitric oxide as claimed in claim 43 , wherein the gaseous stream is derived from a plant chosen from the group consisting of: plants for preparing caprolactam, plants for preparing nitric acid and plants for preparing polybasic carboxylic acids by oxidation by means of nitric acid.

45. The process for selective decomposition of nitrous oxide in gases also comprising nitric oxide as claimed in claim 44 , wherein the catalyst is used as secondary catalyst to treat a gaseous stream at a temperature of from 800 to 1000° C., said stream being derived from a plant chosen from the group consisting of: nitric acid plants and caprolactam plants.

46. The process for selective decomposition of nitrous oxide in gases also comprising nitric oxide as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the catalyst is used as tertiary catalyst to treat a gaseous stream at a temperature of from 300 to 700° C. said gaseous stream being derived from a plant chosen from the group consisting of nitric acid plants and caprolactam plants.