Automotive makers

Even these ideas (which have been in the open literature since 1993) did not tempt U.S. automotive makers to switch to fuel cells as the power source for electric cars. The lead was finally taken by Daimler-Benz, in Germany, the first manufacturers of passenger automobiles with internal combustion engines in the world. In 1996 this company demonstrated fuel cell-driven passenger cars with methanol as the originating liquid to be taken on board and re-formed to hydrogen. This fuel is then used in fuel cells to power the cars electric motors.14... 

Technologies have been developed to reduce the hydrocarbon emissions during cold start. One of the technologies, the hydrocarbon adsorber [1-3] has been most attractive to automotive makers because it has the advantage in view of cost and performance. Hydrocarbons of the cold start depend on the condition of a vehicle, fuel and driver. About 100 hydrocarbon species are present in the exhaust of the cold start. They consist of about 10% methane, about 30% alkenes such as ethylene or propene, about 30% alkanes such as pentane or hexane, about 20% aromatics such as toluene or xylene, and about 10% other species. Therefore, a hydrocarbon adsorber has to show a good selectivity for the hydrocarbons. In order to remove the adsorbed hydrocarbons effectively, the hydrocarbon adsorber needs to have an additional function, hydrocarbon conversion. 

Metal foams are a new class of materials that may revolutionize the car industry. Automotive makers know that one key to making cars that are fuel efficient is to decrease weight. Up till now, that weight reduction meant higher cost (in materials like titanium and aluminum) and problems in crash testing (since light vehicles don t absorb energy well). 

Two chemical processes have been selected by automotive makers lean NO e trap (LNT) [11] or NO c storage reduction (NSR) and selective catalytic reduction by ammonia (SCR-NH3) [12]. For LNT process, the cost is very expensive, because a large amount of noble metal is required. It is why the second possibility (SCR-NH3) has paid attention and has been developed first on trucks and bus. The result is positive in terms of efficiency and decrease of pollutants, but the required location remains a major problem especially when the technology must be applied to a particular vehicle. In order to improve the process, a new concept has been proposed and involves bringing together two technologies into one. In this chapter, we will describe the integration of the SCR-NH3 catalyst in the structure of the particles filters for application in diesel posttreatment. 

As a result of this specificity, the technologies developed by automotive makers can be summarized in the Scheme 35.1. 

This book (Volume 2) presents more than 800 up-to-date advanced cleaning product formulations for household, industrial and automotive applications. It is the result of information received from numerous industrial companies and other organizations. The data represent selections made at no cost to, nor influence from, the makers or distributors of these materials. Only the most recent formulas have been included. All formulations are completely different than those contained in Volume t, which was published in 1989. 

Glass-reinforced SMA polymers are used as electrical connectors, consoles, top pads, and as supports for urethane-padded instrument panels. There are seveial additional automotive uses. SMA aie also found in coffee makers, steam curlers, power tools, audio cassette components, business machines, vacuum cleaners, solar heat collectors, electrical housing, and fan blades, among others. 

Automotive interests + Specific auto maker involvement + Feasibility study only + Economic concerns... 

Impet . [Hoechst Celanese/Engineering Plastics] PET polyester, some lass reinfme for inj. molding, automotive parts, consumer electronics/s li-ances (motor housings, coffee makers, hair dryers), elecyelectronics (connectors, termiruil blocks, bobbins), furniture. 

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