Research Terms
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a low-cost, scalable approach for using any reducible metal oxide or mixed metal oxide materials to fabricate thermally stable, low-temperature catalysts. The UCF invention offers a solution for automakers tasked with meeting increasingly stringent emissions standards. For example, future catalytic systems will need to remove more than 90 percent of the pollutants from gas and diesel engine exhaust such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxides. Also, catalytic systems will need to operate at relatively low temperatures (at or below 150 degrees Celsius) and must be durable enough to survive the harsh conditions of automotive exhaust.
Technical Details
The invention comprises methods for producing metal or metal oxide catalysts for a variety of applications. One method provides highly stable reducible metal oxide support structures for precious metal anchoring. The other method generates engineered surface defects on reducible metal oxides that can result in highly active and stable single site, nanocluster or nanoparticle catalysts.
In one example application, scientists use the invention’s unique multi-step incipient wetness impregnation (IWI) process to fabricate reducible metal oxide support structures. For instance, IWI of CeO2 on Al2O3 followed by high-temperature calcination (heating at approximately 800 degrees Celsius in an oxygen-rich environment), may produce a surface layer of CeAlO3 with excellent thermal stability. Next, the scientists use a gas-phase reducing agent to generate multiple defect sites on the surface of the reducible metal oxide support structures. The surface defects are stable at room temperature even under atmospheric conditions and may serve as thermally stable anchor sites for loaded metals or metal oxides. Precious metals or base metals/metal oxides anchored to the engineered surface defects exhibit high catalytic activity and provide high catalytic performance.
Examples of metals or metal oxides that are usable as catalysts include precious metals (such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium or gold) as well as transition metals or relative metal oxides, including copper, nickel, iron or cobalt. Reducible metal oxides may include single metal oxides such as ceria, iron oxide, manganese oxide, or copper oxide, or mixed metal oxides like ceria zirconia, copper-cerium oxide or iron-cobalt oxide.
Partnering Opportunity
The research team is looking for partners to develop the technology further for commercialization.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a novel universal technique for fabricating precious metal catalysts that exhibit both high catalytic activity and excellent thermal stability. UCF’s Reverse Loading and Metal Shuttling Strategy offers a low-cost solution to traditional fabrication methods, such as those that require complex preparation procedures or are limited to a strong match between the metals and specific supports. The new technique may enable manufacturers to meet more stringent vehicle emission standards in the future. For example, the technology could be used to achieve more than 90 percent catalytic conversion at temperatures below 150 C in the removal of pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HCs) and nitrogen oxide (NO).
Technical Details
The UCF invention is a method of fabricating precious metal catalysts using a novel reverse loading and metal shuttling technique that prevents the metals from sintering at high temperatures while maintaining excellent low-temperature activity. The precious metal can include platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), gold (Au) or a precious metal alloy. In one example, an inverse loading process encapsulates precious metals between reducible metal oxides and irreducible metal oxides. A calcination process applied to the sandwich-like catalyst structure shuttles the precious metals to the surface of the reducible metal oxides. The resulting precious metal catalytic structure exhibits unique catalytically active sites, high thermal stability, and excellent low-temperature catalytic activity (for example, catalytic activity at temperatures at or below approximately 150 C which help extend the life of exhaust system).
Partnering Opportunity
The research team is looking for partners to develop the technology further for commercialization.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.
Researchers at the University of Central Florida and BASF Corporation have developed a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology that can efficiently remove nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions at temperatures less than 200 degrees Celsius. Nitrogen oxides are major pollutants emitted from internal combustion engines. Examples include gasoline and diesel vehicles and stationary sources such as power plants or pumping stations that run on natural gas, oil or coal.
The new NH3-SCR catalysts provide a solution to existing zeolite-based catalysts that require higher temperatures to reduce NOx emissions. Methods for fabricating NH3-SCR catalysts are also simpler and use less costly materials. Environmentally friendly, the new catalysts are resistant to sulfur dioxide (S02) and other poisons like phosphate and alkali metals.
Technical Details
The NH3-SCR invention consists of a series of metal oxide-based catalyst compositions (non-vanadium, non-zeolite materials) that effectively reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in engine exhaust. Included are methods of preparing the compositions and applying their use with catalytic components and exhaust treatment systems. As an example, the compositions can include a reducible metal oxide support containing ceria and one or more transition metal oxides as a redox promotor. They also can include an acidic promotor such as an oxide of niobium, tungsten, silicon, molybdenum, or a combination.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.
The University of Central Florida invention is a novel gas-induced metal migration and deposition (GIMMD) technique at ambient pressure. The invention can provide an effective and environmentally benign approach for metal or metal-oxide coating on specific substrates, as well as the synthesis of new generation, cost-effective catalytic materials for chemical, energy and environmental applications. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques have been used in coating, material synthesis, and catalysis industries. They can require either high energy input or expensive precursors and pose risks of environmental pollution due to highly volatile organic compounds. This GIMMD technique invention could revolutionize these industries and benefit the eco-environment based on its intrinsic characteristics of facile operation, high efficiency, low cost, high versatility, environmental friendliness, and broad applications.
The University of Central Florida invention is a catalyst preparation method for purifying an exhaust gas stream from combustion processes. The synthesis method achieves atomic dispersion at high Palladium (Pd) loading. The high metal dispersion is close to 100 percent atomic utilization of the impregnated Pd and provides superior three-way catalytic activity. The low-temperature vehicle emission control, with excellent thermal stability and catalytic performance, are highly desired in the emission control catalysis industry.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.
Researchers at the University of Central Florida and BASF Corporation have developed a preparation method for catalysts to improve the selective reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) using hydrogen selective catalytic reduction (H2-SCR). The technology can increase NOx conversion and reduce the by-product, nitrous oxide (N2O), a powerful greenhouse gas. It effectively controls NOx emissions from internal combustion engines at low temperatures and is especially useful for hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines.
Stage of Development: Prototype available.
The invention is a catalyst preparation method and formulation for purifying an exhaust gas stream. Developed jointly by UCF, BASF and General Motors, the technology has high aging resistance (that is, loss of catalytic activity over time). This leads to reduced palladium (Pd) loading and improves cost efficiency without compromising performance. The technology offers low-temperature vehicle emission control with excellent thermal stability and catalytic activity.
This joint invention developed by the University of Central Florida and BASF is a method to stabilize platinum sintering and reduce the aging with novel material designs for catalysts, allowing platinum group metals (PGM) to be effectively used in three-way catalytic converter (TWC) applications.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.