BASF Catalysts offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products including advanced battery materials. BASF’s Catalysts division is the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products, including advanced battery materials. We believe mobility’s future lies in more than just products. So where others come to a full stop, we’re just getting started—by leveraging the full power of BASF to continually advance our comprehensive package of sustainable solutions that enable us to travel further, as well as above and beyond. Protecting the air we breathe from harmful emissions through innovation. BASF leverages unsurpassed expertise in the development of emission control technologies for a wide range of market applications. BASF is committed to advancing and promoting environmentally-sound technologies to achieve a sustainable future in aviation. Offering 50 years of experience developing intelligent solutions for air quality over a wide range of applications — enabling clean air for a healthier, more sustainable future. With more than 150 years of experience in metal sourcing, trading, and hedging, we’ve built tangible results for our industrial customers. With more than 100 years of experience in recycling materials, BASF’s end-to-end recycling program is known and trusted around the globe. As a leader in precious-metal thermocouples for many years, BASF recently applied its technological expertise to optical-based temperature measurement. Developing and producing pharmaceutical ingredients for more than 75 years, enabling us to provide the solutions you need to meet today's and tomorrow's challenges for your pharmaceutical business. Find the latest news and media information for BASF’s Catalysts division, headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, USA, the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. Explore this collection of resources to learn more about our innovative research and Catalyst solutions.

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As the global leader in catalysis, BASF has unsurpassed expertise in developing innovative emission control technologies for a wide range of applications, to enable clean air for a sustainable future. We are the Emissions Professionals.

New emission regulations are creating new challenges. Without innovation, these tightening regulations and durability requirements would mean larger, heavier emission control systems. As the leading innovator with global R&D and manufacturing, we offer unique solutions to meet these challenges.

Emissions Control Catalysts Brochure

As the global leader in catalysis, BASF has unsurpassed expertise in developing innovative emission control technologies for a wide range of applications, to enable clean air for a sustainable future. Check out all of our solutions below.

Our Innovative Solutions

Protecting the atmosphere from harmful emissions is the focus of all innovative solutions. New engine technologies, tightening emission regulations and fluctuating precious metals prices create emissions control challenges. We help make our customers more successful with innovative, cost-effective solutions to meet the toughest emissions control regulations.

Three-Way Conversion Catalyst (TWC)

TWC technology for gasoline engines. A leader in clean air technology, BASF has unsurpassed expertise in the development of catalysts for a wide range of applications that protect the air we breathe. Catalyst expertise enabled us to pioneer the development of the first catalytic converters for automobiles, which appeared on 1975-model cars. A year later, we introduced a major innovation — the modern, Three-Way Conversion catalyst (TWC), which today is capable of destroying over 90% of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) produced by gasoline engines. In fact, it would take over 100 of todays cars to equal the pollution from one pre-1974 car. We were awarded the National Medal of Technology and the United Nations Award of the Decade, for the development of the first three-way automotive emissions control catalyst. Arguably the most important pollution abatement device ever invented, the catalytic converter now is a key component of most new cars around the world. Today, BASF continues to lead the way in the development and commercialization of advanced emissions catalysts. We work closely with our customers to manage the precious metal content in the catalysts. Our focus is on helping our automotive customers cost-effectively comply with tightening environmental regulations around the world.

This state-of-the-art platform technology uses BASF's patented, segregated washcoat technology, which precisely places the precious metals within the washcoat, resulting in several important benefits:

Optimal use of precious metals

Lower cost and higher effectiveness

Higher conversions of CO, HC and nitrogen oxides (NOx) over a wide range of conditions

BASF's TWC catalysts:

  • Have a lower light-off temperature
  • Offer high temperature stability enabling the catalyst to be moved closer to the manifold
  • Minimize hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions without using nickel
  • Have outstanding resistance to lead
  • Have a stable oxygen storage function to help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) meet On-Board Diagnostics II (OBDII) requirements

Four-Way Conversion Catalyst (FWC)

The innovative single component FWC (Four-Way Conversion) catalyst can remove Particulate Matter (PM), as well as CO (Carbon Monoxide), HC (Hydrocarbons) and NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) from gasoline-engine exhaust. Upcoming Euro 6 and US Tier 3 regulations will enforce, besides the well-known limits for HC, CO and NOx, tighter control of PM emissions from gasoline-engine powered vehicles. BASF has developed innovative FWC catalyst technologies that can be applied in a system, together with a standard TWC, as a CC (Close Couple) or UF (Under-Floor) or even as a FWC-only device for a fully integrated system. The innovative FWC catalyst combines the functionality of a TWC catalyst with a filter to remove all four pollutants with just one component.

The benefits include:

Smart solutions to lower backpressure impact

Potential to reduce package design

Ensure particulate emissions below tight regulation limits

Reduction in system complexity, tooling and overall system cost

LGC Lean GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) Catalyst

The patented BASF Lean GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) Catalyst technology provides the additional NOx (nitrogen oxides) removal required from the exhaust of GDI engines. These engines use lean combustion (excess of air) to deliver improved fuel economy. However NOx exhaust emissions can increase and are a challenge to remove under these lean operating conditions. The Lean GDI catalyst is designed to operate under lean conditions and can be placed after the TWC catalyst to provide additional NOx conversion.

The benefits include:

Exceptionally high thermal stability

High NOx removal activity at high temperature

High NOx storage capacity

High NOx reduction efficiency

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