The type of material used affects the function of the catalytic converter on a vehicle

Catalytic converters are made of various materials, but the most common are ceramic, metal, and wire mesh. The type of material used can affect the function of the catalytic converter on a vehicle.

Ceramic catalytic converters are the most common type of catalytic converter. They are made of a honeycomb-shaped ceramic substrate coated with a thin layer of precious metals, such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Ceramic catalytic converters are relatively lightweight and inexpensive to produce. They are also very durable and can withstand high temperatures.

Metal catalytic converters are less common than ceramic catalytic converters. They are made of a metal substrate, such as stainless steel or aluminum. Metal catalytic converters are more expensive than ceramic catalytic converters but are also more durable and can withstand even higher temperatures.

Wire mesh catalytic converters are the least common type of catalytic converter. They are made of a wire mesh substrate coated with a thin layer of precious metals. Wire mesh catalytic converters are very lightweight and inexpensive but less durable than ceramic or metal catalytic converters.

• Ceramic catalytic converters are most effective at reducing emissions. They can reduce tailpipe emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) by up to 90%, hydrocarbons (HC) by up to 98%, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by up to 95%.

• Metal catalytic converters are most effective at improving fuel efficiency. They can improve fuel efficiency by up to 3%.

  One advantage of the metallic substrate is it has a lower specific heat capacity and higher thermal conductivity which allow the converter to heat up quickly. It can be moved closer to the engine where exhaust gases are hotter and the converter can react quicker at higher temperatures. This is not applicable to the ceramic substrate because it cannot endure quick heating and might crack.

  Another advantage of a metallic substrate is the ability to easily manufacture the channels in different shapes to increase the turbulence of the flowing gas. Increasing the turbulence makes the exhaust come in contact with more catalyst surface area thus converting more of the exhaust into less harmful emissions with a smaller volume.

• Wire mesh catalytic converters are most effective at reducing noise. They can reduce exhaust noise by up to 10 decibels.