RECYCLING AND TOLL-REFINING OF AUTOMOTIVE FOIL CATALYSTS

POSTED BY SUPSUTA S.

Unlike traditional ceramic and DPF catalytic converters, automotive foil catalysts are made of thin, flat and corrugated metal foils formed into a honeycomb structure, coated on the inside with platinum group metals and placed inside a metal shell. The major advantage is that these foils eliminate the need for ceramic mounting mats and they can be welded together to provide good mechanical durability and improved resistance to thermal shock.

Metallic catalyst substrate

The main disadvantage, until recently, is that of high cost and this has limited usage of automotive foil catalysts to pre-converters in gasoline cars and as the main catalytic converter in some luxury car models, with the metal's thermal characteristics seen to benefit both performance and durability. Thus, automotive foil catalysts presently represent a very small proportion of the total catalytic converter market. Now, though, manufacturers are developing new, low cost, designs and it is believed this will result in a rising demand for this type of catalyst.

The recycling of these catalysts is also difficult and costly, but, here at Ecotrade, we believe that the development of this type of catalyst will generate the need for a cost-effective recycling requirement going forward. For over 20 years, we have committed to investing in the necessary expertise and technology to ensure the most efficient outcome from recycling, in order to maximize the recovery of precious metals for our customers. This commitment has resulted in the company becoming SE Asia’s leading catalytic converter recycler, and a major player in Europe, Africa and the Americas. Supporting both small and large enterprises, we are committed to delivering properly documented, transparent results in a timely manner - all the time.

QZ machine

Priding ourselves on our ability to offer a full range of services, including analysis, cutting, and processing of all models of catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters, Ecotrade has now invested in state-of-the-art systems for the effective recovery of the precious platinum group metals from automotive foil catalysts.

This new investment ensures that customers are not required to trim the foil units themselves, a process which can damage them, possibly resulting in lost precious metal dust, and a consequent reduction in value. Instead, customers can cut their foil units as they would any other converter prior to packaging them for shipment and Ecotrade will undertake the trimming and processing of the foil to guarantee the highest possible recovery of the precious metal content.

In addition, whilst many recyclers often require up to 3 months to process foil catalysts, Ecotrade is able to provide preliminary results and pre-payment in 3-5 working days.

If you possess, or have the opportunity to purchase, scrap automotive foil catalysts and want to dispose of these for the best possible price, whilst at the same time, making a contribution to a sustainable planet, feel free to contact us at: [email protected]