Titania is an active catalyst for various reactions, inorganic and organic, thermal and photochemical. It may be self-supported, or it may be supported on other material. For catalysis it is usually doped with other elements in order to enhance the desired effect
The most important catalytic application for TiO2 is the removal of nitrogen oxides from waste gases from power stations, industrial incinerators and automotives with diesel engines. The nitrogen oxides in the waste gas are brought into reaction with ammonia in the presence of oxygen over the catalyst to produce nitrogen and water (SCR, Selective Catalytic Reduction) [2.69]. The world market for SCR catalysts is ca. 10 x103 t per year as TiO2. In addition to TiO2 the catalysts usually contain ca. 10 wt.% tungsten oxide and 1 wt.% V2O5 and are extruded into a honeycomb shape or supported in thin layers on metal sheets. There are high requirements with respect to purity, particle size, and porosity to ensure that the desired catalytic activity is obtained.
An increasing demand is expected for the removal of nitrogen oxides from waste gases from stationary and mobile diesel engines.
2.1.8.3