Ceramic exhaust filter

An engine exhaust filter element comprising:

• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• a platinum-based catalyst applied to said engine exhaust filter element.

An engine exhaust filter element comprising:

• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• a palladium-based catalyst applied to said engine exhaust filter element.

An engine exhaust filter element comprising:

• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• a rhodium-based catalyst applied to said engine exhaust filter element.

An engine exhaust filter system comprising:

• a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end for connecting to an engine exhaust;
• a filtering element contained within said casing comprising:
• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• wherein said plurality of nonwoven fibers comprises about 50% to about 90% fibrous glass;
• about 5% to about 50% alumina fiber;
• and about 10% to about 25% aluminoborosilicate fiber;
• and wherein said percentages are based on total fiber content.

An engine exhaust filter system comprising:

• a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end for connecting to an engine exhaust;
• a filtering element contained within said casing comprising:
• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• a platinum-based catalyst applied to said filtering element.

An engine exhaust filter system comprising:

• a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end for connecting to an engine exhaust;
• a filtering element contained within said casing comprising:
• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• a palladium-based catalyst applied to said filtering element.

An engine exhaust filter system comprising:

• a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end for connecting to an engine exhaust;
• a filtering element contained within said casing comprising:
• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation;
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation;
• and
• a rhodium-based catalyst applied to said filtering element.

An engine exhaust filter element comprising:

• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation, wherein said at least one zone comprises a plurality of zones each with a different density;
• and
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation.

An engine exhaust filter system comprising:

• a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end for connecting to an engine exhaust;
• a filtering element contained within said casing comprising:
• a filter foundation comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers;
• at least one zone formed within said filter foundation, wherein said at least one zone comprises a plurality of zones each with a different density;
• and
• at least one area enhancement applied to an interior portion of said filter foundation.

A method of making an engine exhaust filter element comprising the steps of:

• mixing a plurality of inorganic non-woven fibers with a colloidal solution to form at least one slurry solution;
• vacuuming said at least one slurry solution into a mold to form a fiber block;
• curing said fiber block;
• machining said fiber block into a filter foundation;
• and
• applying a microscopic enhancement to an interior portion of said filter foundation.

A method of making an engine exhaust filter element comprising the steps of:

• mixing a plurality of inorganic non-woven fibers with a colloidal solution to form at least one slurry solution;
• applying a binder to said slurry recipe;
• vacuuming said at least one slurry solution into a mold to form a fiber block;
• forming said fiber blank in an oxygen free chamber;
• exposing said fiber blank to hydrogen during said formation;
• curing said fiber block by baking said fiber block at a temperature above 500 degrees Celsius and then quenching said fiber blank;
• machining said fiber block into a filter foundation;
• and
• applying an area enhancement to an interior portion of said filter foundation.