Haren Gandhi 1941-2010: Contributions to the Development and Implementation of Catalytic Emissions Control Systems

Johnson Matthey PLC, Orchard Laboratories, Orchard Road, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 5HE, UK E-mail: martyn.twigg@matthey.com Throughout his long and distinguished career with the Ford Motor Company Haren Gandhi was concerned with controlling tailpipe pollutants from cars, and through his work this article reviews the huge amount of progress made during his four-decade career. His early work with gasoline engines embraced all of the major developments ranging from the first platinumbased oxidation catalysts through nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduction using platinum-rhodium catalysts and the later introduction of palladium into three-way catalysts (TWCs) via ‘trimetal’,palladium-rhodium and palladium-only formulations. Gandhi’s other work included the interactions of poisons with catalysts as part of maintaining their in-use performance,the potential for using ruthenium in NOx control in gasoline TWCs and NOx adsorbing catalysts (NACs) for leanburn engines, and the use of zeolite-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts for effective diesel engine NOx control. Gandhi received many awards and honours in recognition of his technical achievements and a selection is mentioned here. Haren Gandhi is remembered with tremendous fondness and respect throughout the automotive industry concerned with exhaust gas emissions control and his technical contributions towards improving the quality of the air we breathe will continue to benefit us all.