Designing a Nano-cat for Catalytic Conversion and Environmental Remediation - Case Study Example

The oxidation process in which gasoline is combusted into CO2 and water inside the engine is not very efficient, leading to the production of various pollutants. There has been a lot of efforts through laws and regulations to reduce the problem of emission of pollutants from automobiles, but all have been futile.  Automobile engines emit pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC), and particulate matter (Faiz, et al., 1996). The most toxic of these voluntaries are considered dared to be carbon monoxide.

We can effectively reduce the amount of carbon monoxide emitted by designing a catalytic converter using nano-particles. Great attention has been placed on the actual societal benefits of nanoscience and nano-technology for renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, chemical processes, pollution prevention, and environmental remediation through control of emission of hydrocarbons, CO, and NO (Hornyak, 2009). Two major factors that enable nanomaterials to exhibit different properties from other materials are increased relative surface area of nanomaterials, and quantum effects (Chaturvedi, et al., 2012). In particular, better methods of controlling pollution are emerging as nano-particles continue to push the capabilities of nano-technology (N.

Kanthavelkumaran, et al., 2013). Using nano-technology, it is possible to manipulate the chemical and physical properties of materials structured on the nano-size scale, which can be assembled to produce nano-devices such as nano-catalytic converters that possess more improved properties (Diallo, et al., 2014). According to Sharma (2013), nanoparticles of materials such as graphitic carbon, alumina, and transition metals such as palladium, silver, rhodium, platinum, and iron are effective in reducing toxic gas emissions from automobiles.

However, these materials are unavailable in abundance and expensive (Mukesh & N.K., 2012). To address this problem, carbon can be integrated into the design of sustainable carbonatitic converters that are cost-effective and efficient. Drivers for developing nano catalysts for environmental remediation include (a) using inexpensive materials to produce high-efficiency products, (b) chemical conversion process that is environmentally friendly, (c) increasingly stringent environmental laws and regulations, and (d) low-cost catalytic nanomaterials since there is no use of precious metals.

Carbon can be sourced from date palm waste biomass. Wastes from date palm trees are usually burned, disposed in landfills or used as animal feeds. Plant biomass produces very small amounts of sulphur and does not contribute to increase in the levels of atmospheric CO2 (Johnson, 2012). In the current work, we intend to design a carbo-catalytic converter that utilizes copper nanoparticles synthesized using a green method and carbon from date palm biomass to improve the quality of exhaust emissions from motor vehicles.

In our research, we intend to use the fronds part of the palm tree, which is known to have a lot of fibres and cellulose. This will be obtained from Gurra Downs, a company in Southern Australia that produces about 50-100 kg of fronds waste per tree every year and have about 3000 date palm trees. The study will add some light on the reduction of pollutants emitted from automobiles by using nano-particle coating. The study will also open a gateway to investigate the reduction in the concentration of exhaust emissions from automobiles due to utilization of a carbo-catalysis in a three-way nano-catalytic converter. 1.1 Aims and Objectives The primary objective of this research proposal will be to design an environmentally sustainable carbo-catalytic converter that can be used in the catalytic conversion of toxic gases emitted from automobile exhaust into less harmful substances.

In terms of economic sustainability, the project intends to use relatively cheaper materials that are available in abundance in the design of the carbo-catalyst, instead of more expensive materials such as platinum, palladium, rhodium and silver. The green synthesis of copper nano-particles and carbon from date palm biomass provides a simple and economical route for synthesis of copper nano-particles with no hazardous and toxic effect. 1.2 Research Question Fossil energy resources produce a lot of gases that contribute to environmental pollution.

The materials used in the design of current catalytic converters are very expensive and may not be available in abundance. Conversion of automobile emissions to environmentally friendly substances require the design of a cost-effective nano-catalytic converter to improve the quality of the by-products and reduce environmental pollution. Design of a carbo-catalyst with high surface area, more delayed time and increased catalytic activity will solve problems associated with heterogeneous catalysts such as time consumption, fast deactivation, transfer resistance and inefficiency.

To address these problems, this research attempts to develop a carbo-catalytic converter that integrates carbon structures and copper nano-particles to be used in the conversion of toxic emissions from automobiles into environmentally friendly substances. 1.3 Expected Results It is expected that the carbo-catalytic converter that will be developed will provide an efficient and cost-effective means of converting exhaust gases from automobiles into environmentally friendly substances. The overall expectation is to reduce environmental pollution caused by emissions from motor vehicles by implementing the carbo-catalytic converter in the manufacture of automobiles. 1.4 Significance and Impact of the Research One of the greatest challenges today is the use of nano-technology to develop sustainable environmental solutions that can address problems caused by the use of fossil fuels and other sources of environmental pollution.

Burning of fossil fuels play a significant role in global warming and climate change as more greenhouse gases continue to be emitted into the atmosphere. The automobile industry, together with other internal combustion engines are the largest contributors of environmental pollution through emission of gases like CO, HC and Cox. These emissions have a direct impact on the environment, and may undergo secondary reactions to form more hazardous substances that pose a health risk. Thus, there is an urgent need to control the emission of these pollutants into the atmosphere to counter the potentially dangerous climate change that will otherwise become irreversible in future, and preserve a healthy environment.