Catalytic converters or automotive catalyst are formed by noble metals such as platinum, rhodium, palladium, and molybdenum supported in cordierite, a porous ceramic materials which convert the pollutant gases in carbon dioxide, water and nitrogenous, no-pollutant products. In this work, we discuss the deactivation of automotive catalyst due to the high operation temperature and by inorganic contaminants originating in engine oil and fuel. New and used catalysts were analyzed by gas adsorption, picnometry, X-ray diffraction, thermal analyses and scanning electron microscopy for textural, morphological and structural characterization. EDS and WDS electron microprobe were used to detect the composition of the catalysts and their contaminants.
automotive catalyst; textural characterization
