Method of removing nitrogen oxides using an ilmenite material

The present invention relates to materials which promote the removal, by adsorption, of the nitrogen oxides (NO and NO , commonly called NO ) present in a gaseous mixture which can contain a superstoichiometric proportion of oxidizing compounds, more particularly oxygen, said materials not being poisoned by the sulfur products found in these gases. The invention applies to the removal of the nitrogen oxides (NO ) present in the engine exhaust gases from automotive vehicles and very particularly from diesel vehicles. The invention relates to materials for removing the nitrogen oxides NO and NOpresent in exhaust gases, particularly from internal combustion engines of automotive vehicles running in a medium containing a superstoichiometric proportion of oxidizing agents, said materials being capable of absorbing the nitrogen oxides and of desorbing the nitrogen oxides when the temperature is raised, relative to the absorption temperature, or when the gas composition is changed to a rich mixture, said materials being mixed oxides in which the metals A and B are all octahedrally coordinated and are arranged to form the ilmenite structure ABO. These materials absorb the nitrogen oxides and do not become poisoned in contact with the sulfur oxides and carbon oxides containing in the gases. In the presence of a group VIII metal, the material is capable of eliminating the adsorbed nitrogen oxides by reduction when the gas composition is changed to a rich mixture.