One of the main groups of pollutants resulting from fuel combustion is the oxides of nitrogen, or NO_x. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technologies effectively reduce NO_x, but they require high operating temperatures above 200 ˚C. Future fuel economy standards will result in lower exhaust gas temperatures and limit the use of high-temperature SCR. SwRI and UTSA plan to develop a novel catalyst for low-temperature SCR to reduce emissions.

The project “Development of New Ruthenium Catalysts for the Low-temperature Reduction of NO_x Emissions from Vehicle Exhaust” will be led by SwRI Principal Scientist Dr. Gordon J. Bartley of the Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division and Assistant Professor Zachary J. Tonzetich in the UTSA Department of Chemistry.

Established in 2010, the Connect program, coordinated between SwRI and the UTSA Office of the Vice President for Research, annually funds projects to stimulate inter-organizational research between the two institutions in fields such as advanced materials, chemistry and chemical engineering, energy, the environment, security and manufacturing. To date, seven projects have been funded totaling $1,230,863.