Foam-Based Substrate For Catalytic Converter

A process for reducing disadvantageous emissions from a vehicle exhaust, comprising providing an open cell carbon foam having a geometric surface area of at least about 15,000 m2/m3 and a permeability of at least about 15.0 darcys, applying oxidative and reductive washcoats to the carbon foam, wherein the oxidative and reductive washcoats comprise precious metals, non-noble metal nano-scale particles, or combinations thereof, fitting the carbon foam into a shell to form a catalytic converter, and connecting the catalytic converter to a vehicle engine for treating exhaust gas.

(canceled)

A process for reducing disadvantageous emissions from a vehicle exhaust comprising:

• (a) providing an open cell carbon foam having catalytic metals incorporated thereinto, wherein the catalytic metals comprise precious metals, non-noble metal nano-scale particles, or combinations thereof, and further wherein the carbon foam has a geometric surface area of at least about 15,000 m2/m3 and a permeability of at least about 15.0 darcys,
• (b) fitting the carbon foam into a shell to form a catalytic converter, and
• (c) connecting the catalytic converter to a vehicle engine for treating exhaust gas.

(canceled)