Simultaneous removal of nitrogen oxides and diesel soot particulate in nano-structured electrochemical reactor

Simultaneous decomposition of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and solid state graphite particles were carried out using a 8 mol% Y2O3 doped ZrO2 (YSZ) based electrochemical reactor with a nano-structured NOx selective multilayer cathode and an oxidative porous anode. The ceramic electrochemical cell was prepared by screen-printing a Pt and a NiO-YSZ pastes as cathode layers and a 12 CaO7Al2O3-Pt paste as an anode layer on the YSZ electrolyte, respectively. Simultaneous decomposition of NOx and graphite particles was investigated using the cell with coated graphite particles on the surface of the 12 CaO7Al2O3-Pt composite anode in 1000 ppm NOx-He gas flow under applying DC voltage at 475 oC. The coated graphite particles at the anode were removed completely with 80% NOx decomposition by electrochemical reactions. (author)