The latest catalytic converters reduce pollution by unusual
mechanism
The newest catalytic converters in diesel engines blast away
a pollutant from combustion with the help of ammonia. Common in European cars,
the engines exhaust harmless nitrogen and water. How they do this hasn't been
entirely clear. Now, new research shows that the catalyst attacks its target
pollutant in an unusual way, providing insight into how to make the best
catalytic converters.