The Role of Active Sites in the Non-Catalytic Oxidation of Carbon Particulate Matter: A Theoretical Approach

The oxidation of carbon particulate matter is a complex process involving many different surface compounds; however, it is clear that there is a direct relationship between the inherent structure of the carbon and the oxidation reaction rate. This reaction occurs on surface sites which are on the periphery of the crystallites that make up carbon particles. These surface sites can be described as active sites where the reaction occurs and spectator sites that do not participate in the reaction. A model has been constructed that calculates the distribution of these types of surface sites during oxidation to show their dynamic behavior, and is compared to experimental data.