Boosting Catalytic Purification of Soot Particles over Double Perovskite-Type La2–xKxNiCoO6 Catalysts with an Ordered Macroporous Structure

The catalytic performances for soot purification over the perovskite-type ABO3 oxides, as one of the most potential non-noble metal catalysts, are closely correlated with the substitution of A-site and B-site ions. Herein, three-dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) structural catalysts of double perovskite-type La2–xKxNiCoO6 were prepared by a method of colloidal crystal template. The contact efficiency between the catalyst and soot particles is significantly promoted by the 3DOM structure, and the partial substitution of A-site (La) with low-valence potassium (K) ions in La2–xKxNiCoO6 catalysts boosts the increasing surface density of coordinatively unsaturated active B-sites (Co and Ni) and active oxygen. 3DOM La2–xKxNiCoO6 catalysts exhibited superior performance during the purification of soot particles, and the 3DOM La1.80K0.20NiCoO6 catalyst exhibited the highest activity, that is, the values of T50, SCO2, and turnover frequency are 346 °C, 99.3%, and 0.204 h–1 (at 300 °C), respectively. According to the results of multiple experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations, the mechanism of the samples during soot removal is proposed: the increase in surface oxygen density induced by the doping of K ions significantly promotes the critical step of the oxidation from NO to NO2 in catalyzing soot purification. It is one new strategy to develop the high-efficient non-noble metal catalysts for soot purification in practical application.