Disproportionation of nitric oxide using crystalline zeolites as catalysts

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR DISPROPORTIONATING NITRIC OXIDE TO FORM NITROUS OXIDE AND HIGHER NITROGEN OXIDES, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES PROVIDING A QUANTITY OF AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEHYDRATED CRYSTALLINE ZEOLITES, SORBING SAID NITRIC OXIDE IN SAID CRYSTALLINE ZEOLITE AT A TEMPERATURE OF BELOW ABOUT 0*C. TO EFFECT THE DECOMPOSITION OF SAID NITRIC OXIDE INTO THE GEASEOUS-COMPONENT MIXTURE OF SAID NITROUS OXIDE AND NITROGEN PEROXIDE, DESORBING SAID GASEOUSCOMPONENT MIXTURE BY HEATING UP TO A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 150*C. TO LIBERATE SAID NITROUS OXIDE, DESORBING SAID NITROGEN PREOXIDE BY HEATING ABOVE A TEMPREATURE OF ABOUT 150*C. TO EFFECT THE DECOMPOSITION OF SAID NITROGEN PEROXIDE INTO THE GASEOUS-COMPONENT MIXTURE OF NITROGEN DIOXIDE AND NITRIC OXIDE, AND REMOVING SAID NITROGEN DIOXIDE FROM SAID CRYSTALLINE ZEOLITE BY HEATING TO TEMPERATURES UP TO ABOUT 200*C.