Three-way catalyst with reduced palladium loading and method of making the three-way catalyst

1. A three-way catalyst for reduced palladium loading, the three-way catalyst comprising:

an inert substrate; and

a palladium catalyst material coating the inert substrate, the palladium catalyst material including:

a support material formed from a material selected from the group consisting of 10% CeO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , 20% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 , 30% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , and MO x —Al 2 O 3 , wherein M is a metal including at least one of copper, iron, manganese, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, strontium, and barium, and wherein O x is an oxide(s);

a layer of CeO 2 material disposed upon the support material and having a surface, wherein the layer of CeO 2 material is dispersed on the surface of the support material; and

an active component including:

a first layer of praseodymium oxide particles disposed upon and dispersed across the surface of the layer of CeO 2 material; and

a second layer of a plurality of palladium particles disposed upon and dispersed across the surface of the layer of CeO 2 material at a plurality of locations each corresponding to a respective location of each of the plurality of praseodymium particles.

2. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the layer of CeO 2 material is a base layer of CeO 2 ;

wherein the surface of the layer of CeO 2 material is a first surface;

wherein the base layer of CeO 2 includes a plurality of CeO 2 nanostructures projecting upwardly from the first surface and each having a second surface;

wherein the first layer of praseodymium particles is disposed upon and dispersed across the second surface of each of the plurality of CeO 2 nanostructures; and

wherein the second layer of a plurality of palladium particles is disposed upon and dispersed across the second surface of each of the plurality of CeO 2 nanostructures.

3. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the support material is 10% CeO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , which was formed by impregnating Ce nitrate onto Al 2 O 3 and a subsequent calcination at a temperature of from 500° C. to 1050° C. for from one hour to five hours.

4. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the support material is 10% CeO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , which was created by Ce nitrate impregnation onto Al 2 O 3 and a subsequent calcination at a temperature of 950° C. for two hours.

5. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the support material is 10% CeO 2 /Al 2 O 3 which was created by Ce nitrate impregnation onto Al(OH) x and a subsequent calcination at a temperature of 550° C. for two hours, wherein (OH) x is a hydroxide(s).

6. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the support material is 30% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 .

7. The three-way catalyst of claim 6 , wherein the support material is calcined at a temperature of from 500° C. to 1050° C. for two hours.

8. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the support material is 30% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 calcined at a temperature of 950° C. for two hours.

9. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the support material is MO x —Al 2 O 3 .

10. The three-way catalyst of claim 9 , wherein the support material is calcined at a temperature of 550° C. for two hours.

11. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the active component is zPd-δCe n Pr 1-n O x , wherein z is from 0.1 to 1.5, δ is from 5.0 to 40, and n is from 0.70 to 0.95, and wherein O x is an oxide(s).

12. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the active component is selected from the group consisting of 0.8Pd-20Ce 0.90 Pr 0.10 O x and 0.8Pd-30Ce 0.90 Pr 0.10 O x , and wherein O x is an oxide(s).

13. The three-way catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the second layer of the plurality of palladium particles is formed from single atoms of palladium.

14. A device comprising:

an internal combustion engine configured for producing an untreated exhaust gas flow; and

a catalytic converter including a three-way catalyst, wherein the three-way catalyst facilitates chemical reactions to transform the untreated exhaust gas flow into a treated exhaust gas flow, the three-way catalyst including:

an inert substrate; and

a palladium catalyst material coating the inert substrate, the palladium catalyst material including:

a support material formed from a material selected from the group consisting of 10% CeO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , 20% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 , 30% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , and MO x —Al 2 O 3 , wherein M is a metal and includes at least one of copper, iron, manganese, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, strontium, and barium, and wherein O x is an oxide(s);

a layer of CeO 2 material disposed upon the support material and having a surface, wherein the layer of CeO 2 material is dispersed on the surface of the support material; and

an active component including:

a first layer of praseodymium oxide particles disposed upon and dispersed across the surface of the layer of CeO 2 material; and

a second layer of a plurality of palladium particles disposed upon and dispersed across the surface of the layer of CeO 2 material at a plurality of locations each corresponding to a respective location of each of the plurality of praseodymium particles.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the active component is zPd-δCe n Pr 1-n O x , wherein z is from 0.1 to 1.5, δ is from 5.0 to 40, and n is from 0.70 to 0.95, and wherein O x is an oxide(s).

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the active component is 0.8Pd-20Ce 0.90 Pr 0.10 O x , and wherein O x is an oxide(s).

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the active component is 0.8Pd-30Ce 0.90 Pr 0.10 O x , and wherein O x is an oxide(s).

18. The device of claim 14 , wherein the second layer of the plurality of palladium particles is formed from single atoms of palladium.

19. A method of making a three-way catalyst, the method comprising:

creating a palladium catalyst material, including:

selecting a support material in the form of a powder formed from a material selected from the group consisting of 10% CeO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , 20% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 , 30% CeO 2 —Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , and MO x —Al 2 O 3 , wherein M is a metal and includes at least one of copper, iron, manganese, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, strontium, and barium, and wherein O x is an oxide(s);

providing a layer of Ce-containing material upon a surface of the support material;

calcining the support material including the layer of Ce-containing material disposed on the surface;

providing a layer of CeO 2 upon the surface of the support and the layer of Ce-containing material to form a precursor, the layer of CeO 2 having a first surface;

calcining the precursor to form a calcined precursor;

disposing a liquid co-impregnation composition upon the calcined precursor to form a product, wherein the liquid co-impregnation composition includes CeO 2 , praseodymium, and palladium;

calcining the product to create a plurality of CeO 2 structures projecting upwardly from the first surface and an active component upon the product, wherein each of the plurality of CeO 2 structures have a second surface, the active component including:

a first layer of praseodymium particles disposed upon and dispersed across the second surface of each of the plurality of CeO 2 nanostructures; and

a second layer of a plurality of palladium particles disposed upon and dispersed across the second surface of each of the plurality of CeO 2 nanostructures at a plurality of locations each corresponding to a respective location of each of the plurality of praseodymium particles;

creating a slurry with the palladium catalyst material;

coating an inert substrate of the three-way catalyst with the slurry; and

drying the slurry upon the inert substrate.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the active component is zPd-δCe n Pr 1-n O x , wherein z is from 0.1 to 1.5, δ is from 5.0 to 40, and n is from 0.70 to 0.95, and wherein O x is an oxide(s).