Boosting NH3-SCR Performance and Resistance to K and Ca Poisoning of NbCe/TiNTs Catalyst

In cement kiln flue gas emissions, high concentrations of alkali and alkaline earth metals cause the deactivation of the NbCe/Ti catalysts, significantly reducing their operational lifespan under industrial conditions. Here, the NbCe-loaded titanium nanotubes (NbCe/TiNTs) catalyst has been synthesized via hydrothermal and impregnation methods. The NbCe/TiNTs catalyst exhibits superior resistance to potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) poisoning. Notably, NbCe/TiNTs catalyst maintains high NOx conversion across a wide temperature range (192–350 °C). The 5Ca-NbCe/TiNTs and 3K-NbCe/TiNTs catalysts achieve a 90% NOx conversion at 235 and 242 °C, respectively, demonstrating remarkable resistance to K and Ca poisoning. The results indicate that TiNTs supports enhance both the specific surface area and surface acid sites of the catalyst, synergistically improving its resistance to K and Ca poisoning. Furthermore, an in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) study elucidates selective catalytic reduction with the NH3 (NH3-SCR) reaction mechanism, revealing dual contributions from both the Eley–Rideal (E–R) and Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) mechanisms on the catalyst. This work provides a research direction for enhancing the alkali poisoning resistance of NOx removal catalysts.