Performance and Durability of Advanced Ceramic Catalyst Supports

As emissions regulations become more stringent, catalyst supports with higher cell density, smaller wall thickness, higher surface area and lower thermal mass become more desirable for faster light off and higher conversion efficiency. Simultaneously, however, washcoat formulation and loadings have to be adjusted to yield higher and more stable B.E.T. area at operating temperatures representative of close-coupled application. The thermal mass contribution of advanced washcoat system to catalyst supports with 600/4 and 900/2 cell structures may approach or even exceed that of uncoated substrates. Under such high washcoat loadings, the composite properties of advanced catalysts may be affected adversely in terms of their physical durability, notably in close-coupled application. This paper focuses on potential solutions to light-off performance and FTP efficiency, via optimization of substrate/washcoat interaction, geometric design and the mounting system. In this manner both the performance and durability of advanced ceramic catalyst supports can be ensured over the lifetime of the vehicle.