  Spitzer MIPS 24 um images were obtained for 36 Galactic planetary nebulae
(PNe) whose central stars are hot white dwarfs (WDs) or pre-WDs with effective
temperatures of ~100,000 K or higher. Diffuse 24 um emission is detected in 28
of these PNe. The eight non-detections are angularly large PNe with very low
H-alpha surface brightnesses. We find three types of correspondence between the
24 um emission and H-alpha line emission of these PNe: six show 24 um emission
more extended than H-alpha emission, nine have a similar extent at 24 um and
H-alpha, and 13 show diffuse 24 um emission near the center of the H-alpha
shell. The sizes and surface brightnesses of these three groups of PNe and the
non-detections suggest an evolutionary sequence, with the youngest ones being
brightest and the most evolved ones undetected. The 24 um band emission from
these PNe is attributed to [O IV] 25.9 um and [Ne V] 24.3 um line emission and
dust continuum emission, but the relative contributions of these three
components depend on the temperature of the central star and the distribution
of gas and dust in the nebula.
