Press release
(Richmond Hill, ON) : Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the world's first market application of single-nanocatalyst technology in automobile catalytic converters. This highly durable new catalyst significantly reduces the amount of precious metals used and effectively purifies vehicle exhaust gases. It was first introduced in the all-new Mazda3 (known as the Mazda Axela in Japan) which went on sale in Canada on January 27, 2009.
With the single-nanocatalyst, the underfloor catalytic converter in the all-new Mazda3 requires only 0.15g/L of precious metals, approximately 70 percent less than the 0.55g/L required in the previous model. Along with the substantial reduction in precious metal usage, the 2010 Mazda3 meets the latest emissions regulations in Japan, the US, Canada and Europe. These global regulations, which are continuously getting stricter, include SU-LEV, PZEV-B, Tier2 Bin5-B, and Euro Stage5.
Automotive catalysts consist of a base material coated with precious metal particles. These metals promote chemical reactions that purify exhaust gases. In conventional catalysts, exposure to hot exhaust gases causes the precious metal particles to agglomerate into larger clumps, which reduces their effective surface area and catalytic activity. To counteract this, an increased amount of the precious metals is required to maintain an efficient purification performance.
Precious metals as platinum, rhodium and palladium to speed up chemical reactions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, in order to create non-toxic emissions. By using nanoparticles of the precious metals instead of larger particles, less metal is needed to produce the same surface area over the ceramic base of the catalyst.
Mazda developed the single-nanocatalyst to increase the effective surface area of the precious metals used. By developing a method of controlling precious metal particles that are less than five nanometers (nm) in diameter as well as a proprietary catalyst material structure, Mazda created the world's first catalyst that features single-nanosized precious metal particles embedded in fixed positions. As a result, there is no agglomeration of the particles and the amount of rare metals used can be significantly reduced. Moreover, the new catalyst material will enable very efficient purification with minimal deterioration over time even under the harshest operating conditions.
While the core benefit of the technology is cost savings, as automakers are some of the largest consumers of the world supply of platinum, rhodium and palladium, there are possible environmental and health benefits as well resulting from less platinum and palladium in catalytic converters. The MZR 2.0L DISI, MZR 2.0L, MZR 2.5L and MZR 2.3L DISI Turbo engines, the latter three being available in Canada, become the first in the world to use the new nanotechnology and going forward Mazda will progressively introduce the single-nanocatalyst to all its global markets, which will contribute to a reduction in the consumption of rare metals and cleaner vehicle exhaust emissions.
Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 160 dealerships. For additional information visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca
(Richmond Hill, ON) : Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the world's first market application of single-nanocatalyst technology in automobile catalytic converters. This highly durable new catalyst significantly reduces the amount of precious metals used and effectively purifies vehicle exhaust gases. It was first introduced in the all-new Mazda3 (known as the Mazda Axela in Japan) which went on sale in Canada on January 27, 2009.
With the single-nanocatalyst, the underfloor catalytic converter in the all-new Mazda3 requires only 0.15g/L of precious metals, approximately 70 percent less than the 0.55g/L required in the previous model. Along with the substantial reduction in precious metal usage, the 2010 Mazda3 meets the latest emissions regulations in Japan, the US, Canada and Europe. These global regulations, which are continuously getting stricter, include SU-LEV, PZEV-B, Tier2 Bin5-B, and Euro Stage5.
Automotive catalysts consist of a base material coated with precious metal particles. These metals promote chemical reactions that purify exhaust gases. In conventional catalysts, exposure to hot exhaust gases causes the precious metal particles to agglomerate into larger clumps, which reduces their effective surface area and catalytic activity. To counteract this, an increased amount of the precious metals is required to maintain an efficient purification performance.
Precious metals as platinum, rhodium and palladium to speed up chemical reactions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, in order to create non-toxic emissions. By using nanoparticles of the precious metals instead of larger particles, less metal is needed to produce the same surface area over the ceramic base of the catalyst.
Mazda developed the single-nanocatalyst to increase the effective surface area of the precious metals used. By developing a method of controlling precious metal particles that are less than five nanometers (nm) in diameter as well as a proprietary catalyst material structure, Mazda created the world's first catalyst that features single-nanosized precious metal particles embedded in fixed positions. As a result, there is no agglomeration of the particles and the amount of rare metals used can be significantly reduced. Moreover, the new catalyst material will enable very efficient purification with minimal deterioration over time even under the harshest operating conditions.
While the core benefit of the technology is cost savings, as automakers are some of the largest consumers of the world supply of platinum, rhodium and palladium, there are possible environmental and health benefits as well resulting from less platinum and palladium in catalytic converters. The MZR 2.0L DISI, MZR 2.0L, MZR 2.5L and MZR 2.3L DISI Turbo engines, the latter three being available in Canada, become the first in the world to use the new nanotechnology and going forward Mazda will progressively introduce the single-nanocatalyst to all its global markets, which will contribute to a reduction in the consumption of rare metals and cleaner vehicle exhaust emissions.
Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 160 dealerships. For additional information visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca