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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 bette