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Advances in Ceramic Science and Engineering (ACSE) Volume 2 Issue 2, May 2013
*1
Abstract
The application of automobile catalytic converter has
significantly helped to reduce air pollution of the exhaust
gas released to the atmosphere. The main aim of auto
catalytic converter installed in a car is to reduce the carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxide
(NOx) emissions below the legislated levels. They are
converted into harmless nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water.
These catalytic converters responsible for the catalytic
function contain precious metals such as platinum,
palladium and rhodium. Catalytic converter is built based
on metallic or ceramic carrier with porous structure of
honeycomb shape, covered by the layer of PGM metals
(Platinum Group Metals). Such construction increases the
active surface which is the contact zone of precious metals
with fumes. Catalytic carrier is wrapped by fibrous material
and closed to stainless steel shell. As the lifetime of catalytic
converters is limited; converters should be periodically
maintained and after some working time, updated.
Therefore, more and more used auto catalytic converters
(both from exchanged and exploited cars) are placed on the
scrap disposal sites. Due to high value of materials used in
catalytic converters and necessity of waste management,
there is an increasing interest in their recovery from waste
(not only metallic part but concurrently ceramic part) to
ensure the profitability of this process. The paper presents
possibility of reusing ceramic parts e.g. in obtaining alumina
which is important in Bayer`s method.
Keywords
Used Auto Catalytic Converters; Platinum Group Metals;
Ceramic Carrier
Introduction
Quick development of industry and civilization
progress causes the essential threat to the human
natural environment. So, currently the most important
problem is environmental protection. The utilization
of gaseous pollution emitted to the atmosphere is one
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Advances in Ceramic Science and Engineering (ACSE) Volume 2 Issue 2, May 2013
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Name
Chemical Components
Alumina (, )
Al2O3
Cordierite
2MgO2Al2O35SiO2
Mullite
3Al2O32SiO2
Magnesium spinel
MgOAl2O3
Cordierite-mullite
2MgO2Al2O35SiO2-3Al2O32SiO2
Mullite-aluminium
titanate
3Al2O32SiO2-Al2O3TiO2
Silica
SiO2
Silicon carbide
SiC
Silicon nitrate
Si2N4
Boron carbide
B4C
Zeolite
Me2OxAl2O3ySiO2zH2O
Zirconium dioxide
ZrO2
ZrO2-MgOAl2O3
Ferrochromium
Fe-Cr-Al-(Y)
Ferritic steel
Fe
Ferritic steel-aluminium
Fe-Al
Kanthal
Fe-Cr-Al-Co
easiness in shaping.
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Advances in Ceramic Science and Engineering (ACSE) Volume 2 Issue 2, May 2013
a)
b)
FIG. 5 RESULTS OF SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS MADE IN TWO DIFFERENT POINTS (A AND B) OF GIVEN SAMPLE
OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER CARRIER
a)
b)
FIG. 10 RESULTS OF SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS MADE IN TWO DIFFERENT POINTS (A AND B) OF GIVEN
SAMPLE OF CU-PT ALLOY
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Advances in Ceramic Science and Engineering (ACSE) Volume 2 Issue 2, May 2013
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Temperature
C
Contents of Platinum
Recovery of
Platinum
%
After
Before
%
%
Platinum is collected in obtained copper alloy after melting
the grinded catalytic converter with the molten pure copper.
1 550
0.196
0.036
85.2
1 700
0.196
0.050
62.8
1 550
0.218
0.045
85.6
1 700
0.218
0.055
71.3
1 550
0.258
0.075
88.3
1 700
0.258
0.052
68.8
1 550
0.281
0.080
95.2
1 700
0.281
0.060
70.1
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Advances in Ceramic Science and Engineering (ACSE) Volume 2 Issue 2, May 2013
Contents of Platinum
Recovery of
Platinum
After
Before
0.230
0.154
86.6
1 200
0.230
0.163
90.1
1 500
0.230
0.191
93.3
1 800
0.230
0.207
94.2
Conclusions
The amount of waste coming from automotive
industry (especially used catalytic converters) has
rapidly been increasing worldwide. Therefore,
recovery of valuable elements such as platinum and
PGM metals became an unavoidable goal to reach,
which is helpful to increase the catalytic converters
cost and reduce the waste to prevent the
environmental pollution. It is possible also to reuse the
ceramic parts of catalytic converters such as alumina,
the satisfaction is full. Because there is successful
research carried out on the used hydroprocessing
catalytic converters, so the slag obtained during
pyrometallurgical process may be treated in the same
way. The further research will be conducted.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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Advances in Ceramic Science and Engineering (ACSE) Volume 2 Issue 2, May 2013
REFERENCES
in
spent
Al2O3-based
catalyst.
Minerals
www.acse-journal.org
and
characterization
of
of
spent
hydroprocessing
catalyst,
platinum
supported
recovery
catalysts
using
from
pretreated
spent-alumina
anionic
ion
229237.
Acessed
April
17,
2006.
doi:
10.1016/j.jhazmat.2005.09.044.
Online1: http://autocatalyst-recycling.umicore.com.
Online2:http://www.chem.uw.edu.pl/people/JSupinska/cw1
8/ ins18b.htm.
Online3: http://fluid.wme.pwr.wroc.pl.
extruded
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