CDTi introduces Spinel technology to replace PGMs and rare earths in catalytic converters

4 November 2014

CDTi says that its Spinel technology uses various base metals to create an effective exhaust catalyst. Click to enlarge.

Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. announced new proprietary technology—which it calls Spinel—to replace costly platinum group (PGM) and rare earth metals in catalytic converters. The new technology will power multiple catalytic product lines that CDTi believes will be highly disruptive to the traditional platinum-based or rare-earth based device industry. This is CDTi’s first public announcement regarding its Spinel technology, the development of which has been kept confidential until now.

Spinel is the name initially given to naturally-occurring magnesium aluminate (MgAl₂O₄) and is now used to describe any composition with the same structure. CDTi’s “Spinel” technology utilizes various base metals which when combined together in a common structure achieve unusual and very effective catalytic conversion activity. The technology is applicable in a wide range of engine and vehicle applications, both gasoline and diesel, as well as other potential vertical markets, CDTi says.

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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has awarded CDTi two new patents covering the Spinel technology.

CDTi is testing Spinel technology on production models of popular passenger cars and heavy duty diesel vehicles at independent vehicle test facilities.

Currently OEMs spend more than $6 billion a year on platinum group metals. CDTi says that Spinel technology is ideal for the coating of catalytic converters, creating an alternative to those utilizing costly PGMs and rare earth materials. The base metals CDTi uses are common and inexpensive compared to PGMs, such as platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) and rhodium (Rh), and rare earth metals, like cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La) and neodymium (Nd).

The Spinel technology is the result of hard work and ingenuity by our world-class RD team. It is an entirely new materials science pathway to meeting tighter regulations at much lower cost. Key validation vehicle testing is underway in parallel to aggressively building a broad IP portfolio as we incorporate Spinel into specific products for global OEMs.

CDTi is a vertically integrated global manufacturer and distributor of emission control systems and products, focused on the light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty diesel markets.