Mechanistic Study of Carbon Oxidation with NO2 and O2 in the Presence of a Ru/Na‐Y Catalyst

The oxidation of model soot by NO2 and O2 in the presence of a Ru/Na-Y catalyst under conditions close to automotive exhaust gas after-treatment systems is investigated. Isothermal oxidation experiments of a physical mixture of carbon black and catalyst were performed in a temperature range of 300–400 °C. A remarkable increase of the oxidation rate by NO2 and O2 in the presence of the Ru/Na-Y catalyst was observed. An overall mechanism involving oxygen transfer from the Ru catalyst to the carbon surface leading to an increase of C(O) complexes is proposed. These C(O) complexes are destabilized in the presence of NO2 increasing the carbon oxidation rate.