Progress and Challenges in Automotive Exhaust Catalysis

The automotive exhaust catalytic converter and associated emission control system has been one of the greatest success stories of heterogeneous catalysis over the past thirty-five years.  Tremendous progress has been made, resulting in emissions reductions to less than 1% of pre-regulated levels.  This success represents contributions from a broad base of companies supplying various aftertreatment components including the finished catalysts, raw materials, substrates, sensors, and converter assemblies, as well as system-level integration and control strategy provided by the OEMs and supporting companies.  In this presentation, I highlight some of the major advances that have allowed catalyst technology to keep pace with a succession of increasingly stringent emission standards, and also consider challenges brought on by phase-in of even lower emission standards.  In addition, new and proposed regulations around fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions present another wave of challenges to the design of exhaust catalysts and emission control systems.