Oxidation catalyst for a compression ignition engine

1. An oxidation catalyst for treating an exhaust gas from a compression ignition engine, which oxidation catalyst comprises:

a substrate, comprising a flow-through monolith;

a first washcoat zone effective for reducing production of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) in the exhaust gas comprising palladium (Pd) and a first support material, wherein the palladium (Pd) is supported on the first support material, and the first support material either (a) consists of ceria or ceria doped with one or more dopant selected from the group consisting of zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), samarium (Sm), neodymium (Nd) and an oxide thereof, wherein the total amount of dopant is 0.1 to 5% by weight of the ceria, or (b) comprises ceria-zirconia, which comprises at least 50% by weight of ceria; and wherein the first washcoat zone is substantially free of platinum; and

a second washcoat zone comprising platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) and a second support material, wherein the second support material comprises a refractory metal oxide selected from the alumina, silica and a mixed or composite oxide thereof; and

wherein the second washcoat zone is disposed on the substrate downstream of the first washcoat zone.

2. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the mass of platinum (Pt) is greater than the mass of palladium (Pd) in the second washcoat zone.

3. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the first washcoat zone comprises an amount of palladium (Pd) of less than 2% by weight.

4. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 3 , wherein the first washcoat zone comprises an amount of palladium (Pd) of 0.25 to 1.9% by weight.

5. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the second washcoat zone comprises an amount of platinum (Pt) of 0.2 to 15% by weight.

6. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the first washcoat zone comprises palladium (Pd) in an amount of 50 to 300 g ft −3 .

7. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the first washcoat zone comprises an amount of the first support material of 1.25 to 3.5 g in −3 .

8. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the second washcoat zone has a ratio by mass of platinum (Pt) to palladium (Pd) of 10:1 to 1.25:1.

9. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the first washcoat zone has a length of 20 to 65% of the length of the substrate.

10. An oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the second washcoat zone has a length of 20 to 65% of the length of the substrate.

11. An exhaust system comprising an oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 , and an emissions control device.

12. A method of modulating the content of NOx in an exhaust gas from a compression ignition engine for an emissions control device, which method comprises:

(a) controlling the NOx content of an exhaust gas by contacting the exhaust gas with an oxidation catalyst according to claim 1 to produce a treated exhaust gas; and

(b) passing the treated exhaust gas to an emissions control device.