New catalyst may replace platinum in diesel exhaust cleaning

Ars Technica : A new combination of metal oxides and rare-earth metals has been shown to be more effective than platinum in catalytic converters for diesel engines. Catalytic converters are used to reduce the amount of pollutants in exhaust. In particular, platinum is used to lower the energy barrier so that NO can react with O to create NO ₂, which is later converted to water and nitrogen gas. However, platinum’s high price (around $50 per gram) significantly increases the cost of the catalytic converter. The new material, which was 64% more efficient than platinum at 300 °C, and 45% more efficient at 120 °C, is also much cheaper. If the new catalyst can be used to also reduce carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions, it would greatly reduce the cost of diesel engine systems.