METHOD FOR THE ON-BOARD REACTIVATION OF THERMALLY AGED NITROGEN OXIDE STORAGE CATALYSTS IN MOTOR VEHICLES HAVING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OPERATED PREDOMINANTLY UNDER LEAN CONDITIONS

摘要

Nitrogen oxide storage catalysts are used to remove the nitrogen oxides present in the lean exhaust gas of lean-burn engines. Storage catalysts are thermally aged by high temperatures. Ageing is due to sintering of the catalytically active noble metal components of the catalyst and to formation of compounds of the storage components with the support materials. According to the invention, the formation of compounds of the storage materials can be largely reversed by treatment of the storage material with a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide, optionally water vapor and optionally nitrogen oxides at temperatures in the range from 200° C. to 950° C., preferably from 300° C. to 700° C. The reactivation can be carried out under emission-neutral conditions directly in the vehicle during driving operation by setting of suitable exhaust gas conditions and regulating the air/fuel ratio.