Characterisation of three-way automotive aftertreatment catalysts and related model systems

The techniques applied to the characterisation of three-way automotive aftertreatment catalysts, and some of the most relevant results obtained from those, are briefly overviewed. Studies dealing with both, commercial converters and NM/CeO2 (CeO2-ZrO2) model systems are considered. The analytical and structural characterisation studies on commercial TWCs reported here are mainly devoted to the identification of some of the most relevant factors causing their deactivation. Regarding the reviewed literature on model systems, some more fundamental aspects are considered. Among them, the use of HRTEM, spectroscopic, and chemical techniques in studies on metal sintering and re-dispersion, metal/support interaction phenomena, and redox characterisation of ceria-based catalytic materials are discussed.