The influence of NOx on the oxidation of metal activated diesel soot

The influence of NO on the oxidation of metal (cerium, copper, and iron)-activated soot was studied. Without NO in the gas phase, the activation energy of soot is ≈170 kJ/mol, independent of the type of metal applied in the soot. The rate-limiting step in the oxidation with oxygen is probably the decomposition of surface oxygen complexes. In presence of NO, the oxidation rate of soot mixed with a supported platinum catalyst is increased significantly, especially for cerium-activated soot. The activation energy of the oxidation reaction is decreased by the presence of NO in the gas phase. The increase in reaction rate as a result of NO and a platinum catalyst is explained by a cycle of two catalytic reactions, where platinum oxidises NO to NO₂, which subsequently oxidises soot using cerium as a catalyst, forming NO which can participate in the reaction more than once. This oxidation mechanism can be put into practice by combining a platinum-activated particulate trap with a combination of platinum and cerium fuel additives. This combination might be a breakthrough in the search for an applicable catalytic soot removal system.