Exhaust gas purifying filter and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An exhaust gas purifying filter that does not break and melt and has high capacity to remove particulate matter, and a method of manufacturing the same, are provided. The exhaust gas purifying filter 7 is made of a ceramic material in a honeycomb structure comprising introduction passages 2 for introducing exhaust gas that includes particulate matter emitted from an internal combustion engine, porous walls 5 that collect the particulate matter and exhaust passages 3 for exhausting the exhaust gas after the particulate matter has been removed therefrom, with the porous walls supporting a catalyst for oxidizing and removing the particulate matter, wherein the porosity of the porous wall is in a range from 55 to 80%, the mean pore size is in a range from 30 to 50 μm, and the total volume X of the pores included in the exhaust gas purifying filter and the volume Y of the pores that are not smaller than 100 μm satisfy the relation of inequality Y/X≦0.05.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An exhaust gas purifying filter, formed from a ceramic material in a honeycomb structure, comprising introduction passages for introducing exhaust gas that includes particulate matter emitted from an internal combustion engine, porous walls that collect said particulate matter and exhaust passages for exhausting the exhaust gas after said particulate matter has been removed therefrom, with said porous walls supporting a catalyst for oxidizing and removing said particulate matter, wherein 
 porosity of said porous wall is from 55 to 80% and mean pore size is from 30 to 50 μm,    while the total volume X of the pores included in said exhaust gas purifying filter and the volume Y of the pores that are not smaller than 100 μm satisfy the relation of inequality Y/X≦0.05.    
     
     
         2 . The exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is a noble metal catalyst.  
     
     
         3 . The exhaust gas purifying filter, according to  claim 1 , that is made by sintering at least one kind of material selected from among cordierite, silicon carbide and zirconium phosphate powder.  
     
     
         4 . The exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 1 , wherein inner surfaces of the pores of said porous walls are coated with alumina whereon the catalyst is supported.  
     
     
         5 . A method of manufacturing an exhaust gas purifying filter, made of a ceramic material in a honeycomb structure, comprising introduction passages for introducing exhaust gas that includes particulate matter emitted from an internal combustion engine, porous walls that collect said particulate matter and exhaust passages for exhausting the exhaust gas after the particulate matter has been removed therefrom, with said porous walls supporting a catalyst for oxidizing and removing said particulate matter, 
 the porosity of the porous walls being in a range from 55 to 80%, and mean pore size being in a range from 30 to 50 μm,    while the total volume X of the pores included in said exhaust gas purifying filter and the volume Y of the pores that are not smaller than 100 μm satisfy the relation of inequality Y/X≦0.05,    wherein said exhaust gas purifying filter is made by firing a preform that is formed in honeycomb structure from a mixture of ceramic powder and a foaming material so that the foaming material expands during the firing process, and adding the catalyst to be supported thereon.    
     
     
         6 . The method of manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 5 , wherein said mixture includes carbon added thereto for the purpose of forming the pores.  
     
     
         7 . The method of manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 5 , wherein said foaming material is a mixture of a material of which 5 to 80% has been already expanded and an unexpanded material that expands at a temperature not higher than 100° C.  
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one kind of material selected from among cordierite, silicon carbide and zirconium phosphate powder is used as said ceramic powder.  
     
     
         9 . The method of manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 8 , wherein said cordierite is formed by firing a mixture of talc, fused silica and aluminum hydroxide.  
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 9 , wherein the mean particle size of said talc is in a range from 30 to 200 μm, the mean particle size of said fused silica is in a range from 30 to 200 μm and the mean particle size of said aluminum hydroxide is in a range from 5 to 20 μm.  
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to  claim 8 , wherein said cordierite is formed by firing a mixture of talc, fused silica and aluminum hydroxide, 
 the mean particle size of said aluminum hydroxide is set in a range from 5 to 20 μm, and    the total weight A of all particles included in the mixture and the cumulative weight B of particles included in the mixture having sizes of 100 μm and larger satisfy the relation of inequality B/A≦0.05.