Advanced catalysts for automotive applications
Embodiments of present inventions are directed to an advanced catalyst. The advanced catalyst includes a honeycomb structure with an at least one nano-particle on the honeycomb structure. The advanced catalyst used in diesel engines is a two-way catalyst. The advanced catalyst used in gas engines is a three-way catalyst. In both the two-way catalyst and the three-way catalyst, the at least one nano-particle includes nano-active material and nano-support. The nano-support is typically alumina. In the two-way catalyst, the nano-active material is platinum. In the three-way catalyst, the nano-active material is platinum, palladium, rhodium, or an alloy. The alloy is of platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
1. A method of making a catalytic converter comprising:
loading feed material into a plasma reactor, the feed material comprising active material and a support material;
vaporizing the active material and the support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of active material and support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of active material and support material, thereby forming solidified nanoparticles comprising nano-active material and nano-support material; and
applying a wash coat comprising the solidified nanoparticles comprising nano-active material and nano-support material to a substrate to produce a catalytic converter.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-active material comprises platinum.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-active material comprises palladium.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-active material comprises rhodium.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-active material is an alloy.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-support comprises alumina.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-support comprises a partially reduced alumina surface, the partially reduced alumina surface configured to limit movement of the nano-active material on a surface of the nano-support.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed material comprises a plurality of different active materials.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the support material comprises alumina.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the different active materials include platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wash coat comprises micron sized oxide particles.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wash coat comprises micron sized alumina particles.
13. A method of making a catalytic converter comprising
loading a first feed material into a plasma reactor, the first feed material comprising first active material and a first support material;
vaporizing the first active material and the first support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of first active material and first support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of first active material and first support material, thereby forming solidified first nanoparticles comprising first nano-active material and first nano-support material;
loading a second feed material into a plasma reactor, the second feed material comprising second active material and a second support material;
vaporizing the second active material and the second support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of second active material and second support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of second active material and second support material, thereby forming solidified second nanoparticles comprising second nano-active material and second nano-support material; and
applying the first nanoparticles comprising first nano-active material and first nano-support material and the second nanoparticles comprising second nano-active material and second nano-support material to a substrate to produce a catalytic converter.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
loading a third feed material into a plasma reactor, the third feed material comprising third active material and a third support material;
vaporizing the third active material and the third support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of third active material and third support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of third active material and third support material, thereby forming solidified third nanoparticles comprising third nano-active material and third nano-support material; and
applying the third nanoparticles comprising third nano-active material and third nano-support material to the substrate.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first support material, the second support material, and the third support material comprises alumina.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third active material comprises rhodium.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first active material comprises platinum, the second active material comprises palladium, and the third active material comprises rhodium.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first active material comprises platinum.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second active material comprises palladium.
20. A method of making a three-way catalytic converter comprising:
loading a first feed material into a plasma reactor, the first feed material comprising an oxidation active material and a first support material;
vaporizing the first oxidation active material and the first support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of oxidation active material and first support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of oxidation material and first support material, thereby forming solidified oxidation nanoparticles comprising oxidation nano-active material and first nano-support material;
loading a second feed material into a plasma reactor, the second feed material comprising reduction active material and a second support material;
vaporizing the reduction active material and the second support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of reduction active material and second support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of reduction active material and second support material, thereby forming solidified reduction nanoparticles comprising reduction nano-active material and second nano-support material; and
applying the oxidation nanoparticles comprising oxidation nano-active material and first nano-support material, and the reduction nanoparticles comprising reduction nano-active material and second nano-support material to a substrate.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the oxidation active material comprises platinum.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the oxidation active material comprises palladium.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the reduction active material comprises rhodium.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the oxidation active material is an alloy.
25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first support comprises alumina.
26. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first support material comprises a partially reduced alumina surface, the partially reduced alumina surface configured to limit movement of the nano-active material on a surface of the nano-support.
27. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
loading a third feed material into a plasma reactor, the third feed material comprising second oxidation active material and a third support material;
vaporizing the second oxidation active material and the third support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of second oxidation active material and third support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of second oxidation active material and third support material, thereby forming solidified second oxidation nanoparticles comprising second oxidation nano-active material and third nano-support material; and
applying the second oxidation nanoparticles comprising second oxidation nano-active material and third nano-support material to the substrate.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the oxidation active material comprises platinum, the second oxidation active material comprises palladium, and the reductive active material comprises rhodium.
29. A method of making a two-way catalytic converter comprising:
loading a feed material into a plasma reactor, the first feed material comprising a first oxidation active material and a first support material;
vaporizing the first oxidation active material and the first support material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of first oxidation active material and first support material;
condensing the vapor cloud of first oxidation material and first support material, thereby forming solidified oxidation nanoparticles comprising first oxidation nano-active material and first nano-support material; and
applying the oxidation nanoparticles comprising first oxidation nano-active material and first nano-support material to a substrate.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first oxidation active material comprises platinum.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first nano-support material comprises alumina.
32. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first nano-support material comprises a partially reduced alumina surface, the partially reduced alumina surface configured to limit movement of the first nano-active material on a surface of the first nano-support material.
33. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first oxidation active material comprises palladium.
34. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first oxidation active material is an alloy.