The Catalytic Converter an Example from Everyday Life

The Catalytic Converter an Example from Everyday Life 

Ask the average man on the street for an example of catalysis, and you will most likely hear about the thing on the exhaust pipe that reduces engine emissions . As we shall see, the remarkable story of the catalytic converter is not only an excellent example of catalysis, but also highlights the connection between heterogeneous catalysis, green chemistry, and sustainable development. 

Today s automotive engines emit a number of toxic pollutants CO, unburned fuel, partially oxidized fuel, hot particulates, and nitrogen oxides (NO, N20, and N02, collectively termed NOx). Table 4.2 shows the typical concentrations of the exhaust gas constituents of gasoline engines [108], together with the legal emission limits set by the EU in 2005 [109]. 

While most of the noble metal stays on the catalyst, small amounts do end upon the road, causing diverse environmental effects [115-117]. The concentration of Pt metals in urban road dust (especially on roundabouts) can be 100-fold higher than the normal background concentration. There is even a company in the UK that sweeps up this dust, with the aim of recovering the Pt group metals  

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