Perspectives on Current and Future Requirements of Advanced Analytical and Characterization Methods in the Automotive Emissions Control Industry

Mandated requirements for cleaner and increasingly fuel-efficient vehicles drive innovation in engine technologies and combustion strategies, as well as in emissions control systems. As next-generation technologies are being developed and implemented in the engine and powertrain systems for both SI and CI engine vehicles, engine aftertreatment must meet increasingly specific conditions. As a result, there is an ever-increasing need for the comprehensive use of advanced, multiscale analytical and characterization tools to understand and evaluate the effects of new engine and emissions control technologies, their complex interactions with other subsystems, and overall performance metrics of vehicles. This review focuses on the application of current and future analytical and characterization methods relevant to the emissions control field. Discussion on recent and emerging analytical approaches is summarized into the following areas: (1) multifunctional and advanced emissions control components, (2) emission system substrate properties, (3) impacts of biofuels, and (4) deposits in exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers and injectors. These four areas are selected for this review because the novel, multiscale analytical/characterization tools and methods are likely to play an increasing role in future internal combustion engines and emissions control products. Numerous examples are discussed, which utilize multi-instrument approaches to address key design and operational difficulties common in engine aftertreatment applications. The purpose of this article is to provide perspectives on the evolution of analytical and characterization efforts and how these efforts help to guide the development of future automotive technologies.