Metallurgical properties of CaO–SiO_(2)–Al_(2)O_(3)–4.6wt%MgO–Fe_(2)O_(3)slag system pertaining to spent automotive catalyst smelting

The metallurgical properties of the CaO–SiO_(2)–Al_(2)O_(3)–4.6wt%Mg O–Fe_(2)O_(3)slag system,formed by the co-treatment process of spent automotive catalyst(SAC)and copper-bearing electroplating sludge(CBES),were studied systematically in this paper.The slag structure,melting temperature,and viscous characteristics were investigated by Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy,Raman spectroscopy,Fact Sage calculation,and viscosity measurements.Experimental results show that the increase of Fe_(2)O_(3)content(3.8wt%–16.6wt%),the mass ratio of CaO/SiO_(2)(m(CaO)/m(SiO_(2)),0.5–1.3),and the mass ratio of SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3)(m(SiO_(2))/m(Al_(2)O_(3)),1.0–5.0)can promote the depolymerization of silicate network,and the presence of a large amount of Fe_(2)O_(3)in form of tetrahedral and octahedral units ensures the charge compensation of Al^(3+)ions and makes Al_(2)O_(3)only behave as an acid oxide.Thermodynamic calculation and viscosity measurements show that with the increase of Fe_(2)O_(3)content,m(Ca O)/m(SiO_(2)),and m(SiO_(2))/m(Al_(2)O_(3)),the depolymerization of silicate network structure and low-melting-point phase transformation first occur within the slag,leading to the decrease in melting point and viscosity of the slag,while further increase causes the formation of high-melting-point phase and a resultant re-increase in viscosity and melting point.Based on experimental analysis,the preferred slag composition with low polymerization degree,viscosity,and melting point is as follows:Fe_(2)O_(3)content of 10.2wt%–13.4wt%,m(CaO)/m(SiO_(2))of 0.7–0.9 and m(SiO_(2))/m(Al_(2)O_(3))of 3.0–4.0.This work provides a theoretical support for slag design in co-smelting process of SAC and CBES.

Recovery of platinum from spent automotive catalyst based on hydrometallurgy

Platinum(Pt)is a critical raw material for automotive catalytic converters due to its high-temperature stability,corrosion resistance and catalytic activity,whereas its limited primary resources and uneven distribution make it hard to meet the growing demand of platinum.Spent automotive catalyst(SAC)is currently the most important secondary resource of platinum,of which the platinum content is much higher than that of the primary platinum resources.The recovery process of platinum from spent automobile catalyst mainly consists of pretreatment followed by enrichment and refining,involving pyro-and hydrometallurgical techniques,among which enrichment and refining processes are extremely important for platinum recovery from spent automobile catalyst.This paper provides an overview of the technologies for platinum recovery from spent automotive catalyst.The emphasis is placed on the processes of enrichment and refining based on hydrometallurgical techniques.Future directions of research and development of platinum recovery from spent automobile catalyst are also proposed.

Nitric Oxide Reduction Performance of Automotive Palladium Catalysts

Activity of three-way palladium catalyst was examined by means of a pulse-flam-microreactor. The effects of cerium on the catalytic properties of gamma-alumina-supported palladium for the reduction of nitric oxide were studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). The reduction of nitric oxide on palladium catalysts is inhibited significantly by hydrocarbon. However, the reduction of nitric oxide was improved by the addition of cerium to the catalysts. The XPS and TPR studies showed that the presence of cerium provided, palladium oxide in a hard-reduced state and suppressed the chemisorption of hydrocarbons on the palladium oxide. Additionally,cerium could increase surface specific oxygen storage capacity and decrease the apparent activation energy for the rea;ltion CO+NO-->CO2-+-1/2 N-2. So a high conversion of NOx reduction could shift to higher A/F ratio.

Precious metal-support interaction in automotive exhaust catalysts

Precious metal-support interaction plays an important role in thermal stability and catalytic performance of the automotive exhaust catalysts. The support is not only a cartier for active compotmds in catalysts but also can improve the dispersion of precious metals and suppress the sintering of precious metals at high temperature; meanwhile, noble metals can also enhance the redox performance and oxygen storage capacity of support. The mechanism of metal-support interactions mainly includes electronic interaction, formation of alloy and inward diffusion of metal into the support or covered by support. The form and degree of precious metal-sup- port interaction depend on many factors, including the content of precious metal, the species of support and metal, and preparation methods. The research results about strong metal-support interaction （SMSI） gave a theory support for developing a kind of new cata- lyst with excellent performance. This paper reviewed the interaction phenomenon and mechanism of precious metals （Pt, Pd, Rh） and support such as A1203, CeO2, and CeO2-based oxides in automotive exhaust catalysts. The factors that affect SMSI and the catalysts developed by SMSI were also discussed.