STUDIES ON THE CATALYTIC DECOMPOSITION OF N2O ON LNSRFEO4 (LN=LA, PR, ND, SM AND GD)

Oxides with the composition LnSrFeO4 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm and Gd) were prepared by ceramic method and characterised by XRD, IR, conductivity and magnetic measurements. The surface of these oxides was characterised by XPS to estimate the valence state of each element and their relative concentrations. Decomposition of N2O was carried out on these oxides to establish the role of the rare earth on catalytic activity at 50 and 200 torr in the temperature range 420-480-degrees-C. The catalytic activity was correlated to the bulk and surface properties of these oxides.