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SiC is well known as a ceramic with high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, and the R-SiC-DPF (recrystallized SiC-DPF) used these excellent properties is widely recognized as the substrate material for DPF. DPF system requires the material possessing high thermal shock resistance against an unexpected accident, such as an uncontrolled regeneration. One of the indices indicating the thermal shock resistance of the DPF is soot mass limit, which is an important factor determining the penalty of vehicle fuel consumption. In order to further increase the soot mass limits of R-SiC-DPF, this paper covers the attempts of IBIDEN to promote the sintering of the neck part of a SiC porous body using a sintering additive. Al2O3, well known as a sintering additive for a SiC dense body, was selected as the sintering additive.

The trade-off between NOx and particulate matter (PM) has been a technological challenge with respect to diesel engine emissions. However, the practical use of diesel particulate filters (DPF) has made diesel emission control possible, in which NOx emissions are reduced through engine control and nearly all emitted PM is completely removed by DPF from diesel exhaust emissions. This has helped to contribute to laying the foundation for pursuing of the high theoretical thermal efficiency of diesel engines. However, it is also a fact that such emission controls have resulted in considerable impairments on the original and greatest advantages of diesel engines. This includes fuel penalties with accompanying increases in fuel consumption caused by pressure losses due to the attachment of the DPF itself and the accumulation of PM in the DPF, as well as fuel losses that occur when fuel is used to regenerate collected PM.

The pore structure of DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) is one of the key factors in contributing the fuel consumption and the emission control performance of a vehicle. The pressure loss of mini samples (1 in. in diameter, 2 in. in length) with various pore structures was measured at relatively low filtration velocity (< 5 cm/sec). Then the obtained data were evaluated by using an index of “permeability”. As a result, among the parameters which characterize the pore structure, it was found that the size of the pore diameter and the sharpness of pore distribution were the most contributing factors in reducing pressure loss which in turn is related to the fuel consumption performance when the cell structure was fixed. On the other hand, it was found that the gas permeability was not affected significantly by any parameter when the catalyst was coated because the coating caused a broadening of the pore distribution.