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Decreasing the catalytic ignition temperature of diesel soot using electrified conductive oxide catalysts

Nature Catalysis volume 4, pages 1002–1011 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Pursuance of low reaction temperatures deserves considerable efforts in regard to catalysis for energy efficiency. Catalytic soot combustion, the prevailing technology for reducing the emission of harmful diesel soot particulates, cannot occur efficiently at <200 °C exhaust temperature during frequent idling. Here, we report an electrification strategy aimed at decreasing the ignition temperature at which 50% of soot (T50) is converted at <75 °C using conductive oxides as catalysts, such as potassium-supported antimony-tin oxides. The performance achieved was far superior to that with conventional thermal catalytic soot combustion—generally with T50 >300 °C. Electrically driven release of lattice oxygen from catalysts is responsible for rapid soot ignition at low temperatures, while the opposite electrostatic fluidization between the conductive catalyst and soot particles accounts for improved catalyst–soot contact efficiency. The electrification process presents a promising strategy in meeting the common dilemma of reduction in vehicle emissions at low exhaust temperatures.

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Fig. 1: EPPO strategy for soot combustion.
Fig. 2: Infrared thermal images of the reactor.
Fig. 3: EPPO performance.
Fig. 4: Electrically driven release of lattice oxygen.
Fig. 5: In situ Raman characterization.
Fig. 6: Ex situ characterizations.
Fig. 7: Electrodynamic fluidization of the K/ATO catalyst.

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Data availability

The authors declare that the main data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its Supplementary information files. Further data are available from the corresponding author on request. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 22076062, 21876061, 22072170 and 21906063), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (no. QYZDB-SSW-JSC037), the Fujian Institute of Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (no. FJCXY18020202), the LiaoNing Revitalization Talents Program (no. XLYC1802076) and the Key Technology R&D Program of Shandong Province (no. 2019GSF109042).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, People’s Republic of China

    Xueyi Mei, Xingbao Zhu, Yexin Zhang, Zhicheng Zhong & Jian Zhang

  2. University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Xueyi Mei, Xingbao Zhu, Yexin Zhang, Zhicheng Zhong & Jian Zhang

  3. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fluorine Chemistry and Chemical Materials, University of Jinan, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Zhaoliang Zhang & Ying Xin

  4. Institute of Catalysis for Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China

    Zhaoliang Zhang

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Contributions

Y.Z., J.Z. and Z. Zhang conceived the research and developed experiments. J.Z. and Z. Zhang supervised the work. X.M. conducted all experiments with the help of X.Z. Y.Z. designed the reaction system and developed the corresponding computer software. X.Z. designed the isotopic oxygen exchange tests and built the apparatus. Y.Z., Z. Zhang and X.M. wrote the manuscript. Z. Zhong and Y.X. contributed to revision of the manuscript and data analysis.

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Correspondence to Yexin Zhang, Zhaoliang Zhang or Jian Zhang.

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Peer review information Nature Catalysis thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary Information

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Supplementary Video 1

Movement of K/ATO particles under an electric field.

Supplementary Video 2

Movement of soot particles under an electric field.

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Mei, X., Zhu, X., Zhang, Y. et al. Decreasing the catalytic ignition temperature of diesel soot using electrified conductive oxide catalysts. Nat Catal 4, 1002–1011 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-021-00702-1

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