Next generation catalytic aftertreatment technology for exhaust emission control

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Reducing pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions are the Grand Challenges of 21st century towards a cleaner environment and better human health. Within the broader scope, the catalytic oxidation of resilient hydrocarbons such as unburned methane with strong C-H bonds is especially relevant and a fundamental scientific topic, critical for developing innovative aftertreatment technology for mobile and stationary engine exhausts. Presently, methane emissions remain largely unregulated in North America. Within the next five years, new and upcoming regulations would require significant reduction of methane or the total hydrocarbons in the exhaust streams from gasoline/natural gas and lean burn (diesel) engines. Therefore, the quest to find a highly reactive and stable catalyst for activating the strongest C-H bond (in methane) has begun. Our initial finding has demonstrated the exceptionally low barrier for C-H bond activation with multi-layer, nanometer sized, hierarchical metal-metal oxide clusters. Partnering with three companies (Ford Canada, Hitachi High-Technologies Canada, and DCL International) with headquarters and R&D centres in Ontario, together with collaborators from the U.S. Department of Energy National Lab and Natural Resources Canada, we will investigate in depth the synthesis and fabrication of nanoparticles, the use of these particles for the catalytic abatement of recalcitrant hydrocarbons. We put forward the proposed work with three major research themes, integrating catalyst discovery and characterizations, fundamental understanding of catalytic pathways, and reaction engineering to understand deeply the catalytic events and develop operational strategies for hydrocarbon oxidation under wide ranging fuel-to-air operating ratios. We adapt synthesis techniques, environmental electron microscopic and spectroscopic tools, and kinetic, isotopic, and reaction engineering methods, to unravel these catalytic events and develop the emission control technology. Our other focus is the training of three Ph.D. and one post-doctoral degree candidates, who will work directly with our partnering companies within Ontario.