Title: Nano-Array Integrated Structured Catalysts: A New Paradigm upon Conventional Wash-Coated Monolithic Catalysts?

Abstract

Monolithic catalyst, namely structured catalyst, is one of the important categories of catalysts that have been used in various fields, especially in the catalytic exhaust aftertreatment. Despite its successful application in conventional wash-coated catalysts in both mobile and stationary catalytic converters, the washcoat based technologies are facing multi-fold challenges including i) high Pt-group metals (PGM) materials loading neededthat usually drives the market prices, ii) less-than idea distribution of wash-coats in typically square-shaped channels associated with pressure drop sacrifice, and iii) far from exactly clear correlations between macroscopic washcoat structures and their catalytic performance. To tackle on these challenges, the well-defined nanostructure array (nano-array) integrated structured catalysts we invented and developed lately has proved to be a promising class of cost-effective and efficient devices that may complement or substitute the wash-coated catalysts. This new type of structured catalysts is composed of honeycomb structured monoliths, whose channel surfaces are in situ grown with nano-array forest made of traditional binary transition metal oxide support such as Al2O3, CeO2, Co3O4, MnO2, TiO2, and ZnO, or newer support materials including perovskite-type ABO3 structures such as LaMnO3, LaCoO3, LaNiO, and LaFeO3. The integration strategy departs from the traditional washcoat technique, instead an in situ nanomaterial assemblymore » method is utilized such as hydro (solva-) thermal synthesis approach in order to create sound structure robustness, scale-up ease, and complex shaped substrate adaptability. Specifically, the critical fabrication procedures for nano-array structured catalysts include deposition of seeding layer, in situ growth of nano-array, and loading catalytic materials. The generic methodology utilization in both magnetic stirring batch process and continuous flow reactor synthesis offers the nano-array catalysts with great potential to be scaled up readily and cost-effectively. The tunability of the structure and catalytic performance could be achieved through the morphology and geometry adjustment, guest atoms and defects manipulation, and composite nano-array catalysts manufacture. Excellent stabilities under various conditions were also present compared to conventional wash-coated catalysts.« less

Authors:

Weng, Junfei ^[1]; Lu, Xingxu ^[1]; Gao, Pu-Xian ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

Publication Date:

2017-08-28

Research Org.:

Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:

1425390

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1430256

Grant/Contract Number:  

EE0006854; EE0000210

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Catalysts

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2073-4344

Publisher:

MDPI

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; nanostructures; nano-array structured catalysts; wash-coat structured catalysts; wet chemical synthesis; tunable structure and performance; stability