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Detailed Description
Title
Fabrication of an aerogel composite catalytic converter
Department(s)
Mechanical Engineering
Creator(s)
Advisor(s)
Date of Original
6/1/2009
Description
The purpose of this project was to contribute to the development of aerogel-based
automotive catalytic converters. Existing catalytic converters utilize platinum and
palladium catalysts to oxidize the carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons in
automotive exhaust. However, these noble metals are expensive and environmentally
damaging to produce. Aerogels consist of a nanoscale solid lattice surrounded by air.
Because of their high surface areas, metal oxide aerogels can catalyze the oxidation of
carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons without the use of noble metals.
We utilized epoxide proton-scavenging recipes to create alumina and chromia sol
gels and xerogels. An alumina epoxide recipe was also combined with Union’s Rapid
Supercritical Extraction process in order to fabricate alumina aerogels from non-alkoxide
precursors. The aerogels’ surface area was only 171m2/g, considerably lower than the
470m2/g measured for alumina xerogels prepared from the same epoxide recipe. Both
materials displayed a highly porous microstructure when imaged with a scanning electron
microscope.
In addition, a catalytic testing system was designed to measure the aerogels’ and
xerogels’ ability to catalyze the oxidation of carbon monoxide and propane. The designed
system heats simulated automobile exhaust to temperatures up to 500°C, flows the
exhaust through a stainless steel reactor containing the catalytic sample, and determines
the composition of the exhaust exiting the reactor using a four gas infrared analyzer.
Preliminary testing of the assembled system demonstrated that it is unlikely to leak
poisonous CO during testing but can only heat air to a temperature of 300°C in its current
configuration.
automotive catalytic converters. Existing catalytic converters utilize platinum and
palladium catalysts to oxidize the carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons in
automotive exhaust. However, these noble metals are expensive and environmentally
damaging to produce. Aerogels consist of a nanoscale solid lattice surrounded by air.
Because of their high surface areas, metal oxide aerogels can catalyze the oxidation of
carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons without the use of noble metals.
We utilized epoxide proton-scavenging recipes to create alumina and chromia sol
gels and xerogels. An alumina epoxide recipe was also combined with Union’s Rapid
Supercritical Extraction process in order to fabricate alumina aerogels from non-alkoxide
precursors. The aerogels’ surface area was only 171m2/g, considerably lower than the
470m2/g measured for alumina xerogels prepared from the same epoxide recipe. Both
materials displayed a highly porous microstructure when imaged with a scanning electron
microscope.
In addition, a catalytic testing system was designed to measure the aerogels’ and
xerogels’ ability to catalyze the oxidation of carbon monoxide and propane. The designed
system heats simulated automobile exhaust to temperatures up to 500°C, flows the
exhaust through a stainless steel reactor containing the catalytic sample, and determines
the composition of the exhaust exiting the reactor using a four gas infrared analyzer.
Preliminary testing of the assembled system demonstrated that it is unlikely to leak
poisonous CO during testing but can only heat air to a temperature of 300°C in its current
configuration.
Genre
thesis
Publisher of Digital Record
Union College Schaffer Library Digital Projects
Source
Union College Schaffer Library Special Collections
Contact Information
Union College Schaffer Library Special Collections, 807 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308; 518-388-6620; https://www.union.edu/schaffer-library
Harmful Language Statement
Language
English