Fuel processing catalysts based on nanoscale ceria

Abstract The water-gas shift (WGS) reactor is a key component in fuel processors, but existing WGS catalysts are unsuitable for transportation applications, since the iron-chrome catalysts used at high temperatures are relatively inactive, and the copper-based catalysts used at low temperature tend to degrade under the severe conditions encountered in an automotive system. NexTech Materials has developed hydrothermal synthesis methods for dispersed suspensions of nanoscale ceria and ceria-zirconia, to give more active WGS catalyst, as well as more efficient and rugged catalyst packaging. The resulting WGS reactors based on ceramic monoliths loaded with Pt/ceria catalysts provide a technically viable and cost-effective option for automotive fuel processors.