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Clingy Copper Ions Contribute to Catalyst Slowdown
Heavy-duty diesel trucks on the road today are equipped with aftertreatment systems that include selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology using urea solution as a reducing agent to curtail harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from engine exhaust before they reach the tailpipe. SCRs rely on a catalyst to help chemically convert NOx gases into nitrogen, water, and small amounts of carbon dioxide.
Like anything else subject to the laws of nature, catalysts-materials that help a desired reaction efficiently take place-tend to slow down the longer they are in use. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), working with researchers at Washington State University and Tsinghua University, discovered a mechanism behind the decline in performance of an advanced copper-based catalyst. The team’s findings, featured on the cover of the journal ACS Catalysis, could aid the design of catalysts that work better and last longer during the NOx conversion process.