Reaction pathways of NO oxidation by sodium chlorite powder.

NO oxidation is an important prerequisite step to assist selective catalytic reduction at low temperatures (< 250 degrees C). If sodium chlorite powder (NaClO2(s)) can oxidize NO to NO2, the injection of NaClO2(s) can be simply adapted to NO oxidation. Therefore, we explored the reaction pathways of NO oxidation by NaClO2(s). Known concentrations of NO and NO2 in N2 balance were injected into packed-bed reactor containing NaClO2(s) at 130 degreesC. NaClO2(s) oxidized NO to NO2 which reacts again with NaClO2(s) to produce OClO. Comparison of experimental data with simulation results demonstrates that each NO2 molecule removed by the reaction with NaClO2(s) generated one OClO molecule, which also oxidized NO to NO2 with the production of ClNO and ClNO2. Using these results, we conclude that the oxidation of NO by NaClO2(s) occurred by two pathways. One is through the direct reaction of NO with NaClO(s). The other is through both the reaction of NO with OlCO produced by the reaction of NO2 with NaClO2(s) and the reaction of NO with ClO produced by the reaction of NO with OClO.