[e-gold-list] Less Platinum

[John Kyle]

Mazda Develops New Catalyst Material Structure for Autos That Reduces
Precious Metal Requirements

1 October 2007


Mazda’s new catalyst structure. Click to enlarge.

Mazda Motor Corporation has developed a new catalyst structure for
automotive exhaust systems that substantially reduces the amount of
precious metals such as platinum and palladium that are required.

The new development enables Mazda to reduce the amount of platinum and
palladium used in automotive three-way catalysts by 70 to 90%. It does not
result in any changes in the performance of purifying gas emissions and
maintains the high durability of conventional catalysts.

In conventional catalysts, the precious metals that promote the chemical
reactions that treat exhaust gases are adhered to a base material. Exposure
to exhaust gas heat causes the precious metal to agglomerate into larger
particles. This reduces the catalyst’s effective surface area and catalytic
activity, which requires the use of a significant amount of precious metals
to counter and maintain an efficient purification performance.

Mazda developed a new catalyst using its proprietary catalyst material
structure and precious metal particles that are less than 5 nanometers (nm)
in diameter. This is the first time that a catalyst material has been
achieved that features single, nanosized precious metal particles embedded
in fixed positions.

As a result, there is no agglomeration of the precious metal particles, and
the amount of high-priced precious metals used in three-way catalytic
converters can be reduced by 70 to 90%. Moreover, the new catalyst material
will maintain the same level of purifying efficiency, with minimal
deterioration over time even under the harshest operating conditions.








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