Microwave Irradiation Coupled with Physically Mixed MeO x (Me=Mn, Ni) and Cu‐ZSM‐5 Catalysts for the Direct Decomposition of Nitric Oxide under Excess Oxygen

The direct catalytic decomposition of NO into N 2 and O 2 with high activity and N 2 selectivity at low temperature under excess oxygen is a challenge. Herein, we report a new approach for the direct decomposition of NO into N 2 and O 2 by microwave catalysis over MeO x ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 (Me=Mn, Ni) under excess oxygen. We observed that the microwave direct catalytic decomposition of NO over MeO x ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 under excess oxygen is highly efficient, and the NO conversions are 94.3 % over MnO 2 ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 at 300 °C and 92.3 % over Ni 2 O 3 ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 at 350 °C. Meanwhile, the N 2 selectivity remains more than 98 %. Importantly, the apparent activation energies of MnO 2 ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 and Ni 2 O 3 ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 are as low as 15.5 and 25.7 kJ mol −1 , which suggests a significant microwave catalytic effect. Furthermore, microwave irradiation exhibits a microwave selective effect. The oxygen concentration has almost no influence on the activity of catalytic decomposition of NO over MeO x ‐Cu‐ZSM‐5 under microwave irradiation.