Three-way catalytic converter
Convertidor catalítico de tres vías
- Date
- 1975 · confidence high
- Place
- Engelhard, Iselin, New Jersey, and Corning, New York, United States
- Credited to
- Carl Keith and John Mooney (Engelhard); Eugene Houdry (patent, 1950s); mandatory in the United States from 1975
- People
- 👤 Carl Keith👤 Eugene Houdry1892–1962
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
A ceramic device containing platinum, palladium and rhodium that converts toxic exhaust gases into CO2, water and nitrogen. It eliminated leaded petrol and cleaned up city air.
What it led to
- The removal of lead from petrol and the fall in children's blood lead levels
- Emissions regulations (Euro, EPA) and the diesel scandal
- The demand for platinum-group metals
Built on
- heterogeneous catalysis
- Clean Air Act of 1970
Made possible
- unleaded petrol
- lambda probe (oxygen sensor)
- Euro emissions standards