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TOKYO - Nissan says it has developed a catalyst for petrol cars that halves the use of precious metal components to clean tail-pipe emissions, promising big cost savings amid high commodity prices.
Japan's third-biggest automaker employed nano-technology to prevent clustering of the fine metal particles present in catalysts under high temperature conditions, enabling the use of less material to clean exhaust emissions.
Automotive catalysts use a mix of platinum, rhodium and palladium to trigger a chemical reaction with polluting nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to create non-toxic compounds.
The technology, which will be shared with French partner Renault, will be introduced in a new vehicle slated for launch in the second half of the business year ending in March 2009, and expanded into other models, Nissan said in a statement.
Automakers have been hurt by rising commodity prices, booking bigger-than-expected raw material expenses for the latest quarter.
Average platinum prices during April-June rose 9 per cent from a year-earlier, rhodium jumped 24 per cent and palladium climbed 6 per cent, according to Platinum Today.
- REUTERS
