A self-activating photoactive aerosol is presented, comprising an anion-containing mass composition having a mass ratio of nitrate anions and/or nitrogen-oxygen compounds to chlorides ranging from 1 part nitrate anions and/or nitrogen-oxygen compounds to 200 parts chlorides, up to 10 parts nitrate anions and/or nitrogen-oxygen compounds to 1 part chlorides, and the composition has a pH in a range of less than or equal to 3 to greater than or equal to 1. Also disclosed is method and apparatus for producing a self-activating photoactive aerosol.

A honeycomb structure of the present invention includes a honeycomb structure body and a pair of electrode member arranged at a side surface of the honeycomb structure body. The honeycomb structure body has an electrical resistivity of 1 to 200 cm, and the respective pair of electrode members is formed into a band-like shape extending in a direction in which the cells extend. In a cross section perpendicular to the cell extending direction, one of the electrode members is arranged opposite to another of the electrode members sandwiching a center of the honeycomb structure body. One or more of slits, which being open to a side surface, are formed at the honeycomb structure body. At least the one slit is formed so as not to intersect with a straight line connecting center portions of the respective pair of electrode members in the cross section perpendicular to the cell extending direction.

A vehicle exhaust system is provided and comprises a catalyst positioned in an exhaust passage of a vehicle. The catalyst is in the form of a washcoat supported on a substrate. The system includes a phase change material located adjacent to the catalyst to maintain the temperature of the catalyst between engine shut-down and subsequent start-up as well as to regulate the temperature during engine operation. In some embodiments, the phase change material comprises particles of a metal or metal alloy encapsulated in a ceramic material. The metal or metal alloy is adapted to have a phase change that occurs within a temperature range wherein the catalyst is active.

An electrically heatable honeycomb body assembly includes an electrical connection of sheet metal layers at a connection pin. A honeycomb body has a metal casing with an inner periphery, through which the connection pin is led in a bushing and electrically insulated. The sheet metal layers are alternately coarsely structured and finely structured or smooth sheets together forming a stack with uppermost and lowermost layers and channels for an axial gas flow between the layers. The connection pin runs radially approximately perpendicular to the layers and is metallically connected to at least two or all of the layers through at least one intermediate piece. The uppermost sheet metal layer preferably runs approximately parallel to the metal casing over at least 35% of the inner periphery and is separated therefrom only by an air gap. Simple production of an operationally safe and very uniformly electrically heatable honeycomb body is provided.

A catalytic converter includes a catalyst. The catalyst includes a support, platinum group metal (PGM) particles dispersed on the support, and a barrier formed on the support. The barrier is disposed between a first set of the PGM particles and a second set of the PGM particles to suppress aging of the PGM particles.

An exhaust-gas treatment device includes a honeycomb body wound and/or stacked with at least partially structured sheet-metal layers forming channels through which an exhaust gas can flow in axial direction from an inlet side to an outlet side. A first section of the sheet-metal layers ends flush at a first end surface associated with at least one of the sides and a second section of the sheet-metal layers ends at a second end surface associated with at least one of the sides. A spacing is provided between the first and second end surfaces because a first axial length of the first section is greater than a second axial length of the second section. The spacing forms a receptacle receiving a heating body, producing a simple electrically heatable exhaust-gas treatment device into which a heating body can be integrated during or after production of the honeycomb body.

A system for uniform flow distribution of a reductant is disclosed. The system includes an injector lance and a diffuser assembly. The injector lance further includes a reductant supply conduit and an injector lance. The reductant supply conduit extends into an internal diameter of an exhaust conduit from a first end of the exhaust conduit towards a second end of the exhaust conduit. The injector lance is in communication with and extends perpendicular to the reductant supply conduit. The injector lance is located along a longitudinal axis of the exhaust conduit. The diffuser assembly is further collocated or integral with the injector lance.

Described are catalyst composites containing mechanically fused components, methods of making the catalyst composites, and methods of using the catalyst composites such as in pollution abatement applications. The catalyst composites contain a core and a shell at least substantially covering the core, the shell mechanically fused to the core and comprising particles mechanically fused to each other, wherein a size ratio of the core to particles of the shell is at least about 10:1.

A vehicle exhaust system is provided and comprises a catalyst positioned in an exhaust passage of a vehicle. The catalyst is in the form of a washcoat supported on a substrate. The system includes a phase change material located adjacent to the catalyst to maintain the temperature of the catalyst between engine shut-down and subsequent start-up as well as to regulate the temperature during engine operation. In some embodiments, the phase change material comprises particles of a metal or metal alloy encapsulated in a ceramic material. The metal or metal alloy is adapted to have a phase change that occurs within a temperature range wherein the catalyst is active.

Described are catalyst composites containing mechanically fused components, methods of making the catalyst composites, and methods of using the catalyst composites such as in pollution abatement applications. The catalyst composites contain a core and a shell at least substantially covering the core, the shell mechanically fused to the core and comprising particles mechanically fused to each other, wherein a size ratio of the core to particles of the shell is at least about 10:1.