Oxidation of methyl formate and its interaction with nitric oxide

An experimental and kinetic modeling study of the oxidation of methyl formate (MF) has been performed. The experiments have been carried out in an isothermal tubular quartz flow reactor, at atmospheric pressure, in the temperature range 300–1100 K. The influence of the temperature, oxygen concentration and the presence of nitric oxide have been analyzed on the oxidation regime of MF and on the formation of the main products (CH3OH, CO, CO2 and H2). A detailed chemical kinetic mechanism for the oxidation of MF has been used for calculations. The results show that the oxidation regime of MF for different stoichiometries is very similar both, in the absence and in the presence of nitric oxide, but some differences are found under oxidizing conditions in the presence of NO. Under these conditions, a mutually sensitized oxidation of MF and NO is seen to occur. In spite of the fact that a minimum of the concentration of NO is observed, no net reduction of NOx is found.