When the porous ceramic structure contains Co together with Fe or Mn, the Co content is higher than or equal to 0.1 mass % and lower than or equal to 3.0 mass % in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4, and when the porous ceramic structure contains Co without containing Fe and Mn, the Co content is higher than or equal to 0.2 mass % and lower than or equal to 6.0 mass % in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4. The Ce content is higher than or equal to 0.1 mass % and lower than or equal to 10 mass % in terms of CeO.sub.2. The Fe/Mn/Co ratio is higher than or equal to 0.8 and lower than or equal to 9.5. The porous ceramic structure contains more than or equal to 0.03 percent and less than or equal to 2.5 percent by mass of Zn in terms of ZnO.

A cordierite-containing ceramic body with % P≥50%, df≤0.50, and a combined weight percentage of crystalline phases containing cordierite and indialite of at least 85 wt %. The porous ceramic body contains, as expressed on a relative oxide weight percent basis in terms of MgO, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and SiO.sub.2 that is within a field defined by (15.4, 34.1, and 50.5), (12.2, 34.1, and 53.7), (13.3, 31.2, and 55.5), and (16.6, 31.1, and 52.3). Batch composition mixtures and methods of manufacturing a porous ceramic body using the batch compositions are provided, as are other aspects.

The invention relates to a method for producing a wall-flow filter for removing fine particulate solids from gases, and to the use thereof for cleaning exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The invention also relates to a correspondingly produced exhaust-gas filter having a high filtration efficiency.

A ceramic honeycomb filter comprising a cordierite-type ceramic honeycomb structure having large numbers of flow paths partitioned by porous cell walls, and plugs formed in end portions of predetermined flow paths of the ceramic honeycomb structure; the cell walls having a thermal expansion coefficient Tw (×10.sup.−7/° C.) of 10 or less in the flow path direction between 40° C. and 800° C.; the plugs comprising at least ceramic particles, and 5-25 parts by mass of an amorphous oxide matrix per 100 parts by mass of the ceramic particles; the ceramic particles comprising at least 42-90% by mass of amorphous silica particles, and 10-58% by mass of cordierite particles; and the amorphous silica particles comprising 4-30% by mass of first silica particles having a median particle diameter of 10-40 μm, and 70-96% by mass of second silica particles having a median particle diameter of 70-200 μm.

Subject of the invention is an exhaust gas purification system for a gasoline engine, comprising in consecutive order the following devices:

a first three-way-catalyst (TWC1), a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) and a second three-way-catalyst (TWC2),

wherein the oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of the GPF is greater than the OSC of the TWC2, wherein the OSC is determined in mg/l of the volume of the device.

The invention also relates to methods in which the system is used and uses of the system.

When the porous ceramic structure contains Co together with Fe or Mn, the Co content is higher than or equal to 0.1 mass % and lower than or equal to 3.0 mass % in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4, and when the porous ceramic structure contains Co without containing Fe and Mn, the Co content is higher than or equal to 0.2 mass % and lower than or equal to 6.0 mass % in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4. The Ce content is higher than or equal to 0.1 mass % and lower than or equal to 10 mass % in terms of CeO.sub.2. The Fe/Mn/Co ratio is higher than or equal to 0.8 and lower than or equal to 9.5. The porous ceramic structure contains more than or equal to 0.03 percent and less than or equal to 2.5 percent by mass of Zn in terms of ZnO.

A purification method comprises providing a purification device comprising at least one exhaust gas purification member having an upstream surface through which the exhaust gas enters the purification member and a downstream surface through which the exhaust gases exit the purification member. The method further includes, in the absence of forced circulation of the exhaust gas through the purification member by an engine of the vehicle, heating radiatively at least either the upstream zone or the downstream zone, for example before starting the engine of the vehicle.

A ceramic honeycomb filter comprising a cordierite-type ceramic honeycomb structure having large numbers of flow paths partitioned by porous cell walls, and plugs formed in end portions of predetermined flow paths of the ceramic honeycomb structure; the cell walls having a thermal expansion coefficient Tw (10.sup.7/ C.) of 10 or less in the flow path direction between 40 C. and 800 C.; the plugs comprising at least ceramic particles, and 5-25 parts by mass of an amorphous oxide matrix per 100 parts by mass of the ceramic particles; the ceramic particles comprising at least 42-90% by mass of amorphous silica particles, and 10-58% by mass of cordierite particles; and the amorphous silica particles comprising 4-30% by mass of first silica particles having a median particle diameter of 10-40 m, and 70-96% by mass of second silica particles having a median particle diameter of 70-200 m.

A filter regeneration device includes a microwave radiator configured to radiate a microwave and disposed to be oriented in a direction toward a ceramic filter configured to purify exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, the ceramic filter being disposed in a cylindrical portion of a metallic case having the cylindrical portion and having a protruding portion protruding toward an outside of the cylindrical portion of the metallic case, the microwave radiator being disposed inside the protruding portion, and a microwave generator configured to generate the microwave radiated from the microwave radiator toward the ceramic filter.

A system and method for carbon dioxide capture/storage from exhaust utilizing a carbon dioxide separation membrane which may be prepared in the form of a monolithic structure. The captured carbon dioxide may also be stored in a fluid state as supercritical CO.sub.2. An integrated fuel delivery and carbon dioxide unloading system is also disclosed, to remove carbon dioxide from a vehicle for sequestration or other industrial purposes.