At Naco Technologies, we are excited to announce a strategic collaboration with Dinex Latvia on an innovative project aimed at advancing emission control technology for commercial vehicles. This partnership brings together cutting-edge expertise in nano-coatings and emission-reduction systems, targeting a new level of efficiency in catalytic converters.
The project’s main goal is to develop advanced oxidation catalysts with increased active surface areas using Naco’s proprietary High-Speed Magnetron Sputtering (HMS) technology. By increasing the surface area by 20%, we aim to maximize catalytic performance while reducing the need for expensive precious metals like platinum. This development is crucial as the automotive industry faces more stringent EURO7 emissions standards that demand near-zero emissions from commercial vehicles.
The automotive industry produces around 20 million commercial vehicles each year, primarily powered by internal combustion engines. While cleaner fuel sources, such as hydrogen and biodiesel, are emerging, they still require efficient oxidation catalysts to control harmful emissions. However, traditional catalysts rely heavily on precious metals, contributing to high production costs and a significant carbon footprint in their extraction and processing.
Our collaboration with Dinex is designed to tackle these challenges head-on by optimizing the efficiency of precious metals used in catalysts, aligning with the global push for more sustainable and cost-effective automotive solutions.
Naco’s High-Speed Magnetron Sputtering (HMS) technology is at the core of this project. Our HMS process is not only 10 times faster than traditional magnetron sputtering but is also highly energy-efficient and emission-free. This technology enables precise layering of materials at the atomic level, creating nano-structured coatings with remarkable surface area and reactivity. For this project, HMS will allow the creation of a catalyst coating with the required durability, performance, and reduced metal use.
The project is co-financed by the European Union through Latvian Smart Materials and Technologies Competence Centre. This funding will support the development and application of innovative coatings to meet the high standards expected in modern emission-control systems. The project officially launched on October 1, 2024, and is set to run through March 2027, providing ample time to achieve and refine the targeted enhancements in catalytic performance.
This collaboration follows a pivotal discussion at Tech Tour 2024, where Roman Pyankovski from Dinex and Aleksandrs Parfinovičs from Naco Technologies spoke on a panel about the challenges and opportunities of critical materials in today’s industrial landscape. The event, organized with the support of the Latvian Hydrogen Association and LIAA (Latvian Investment and Development Agency), underscored the need for innovative approaches in reducing dependency on scarce resources like platinum and palladium, reinforcing the relevance of our joint project.
This project promises significant environmental and economic benefits. By improving the efficiency of platinum use in catalytic converters by at least 20%, we estimate potential CO₂ savings of up to 2 million tons annually across the industry. Additionally, Dinex aims to triple its production capacity within two years with the new technology, while Naco is exploring licensing options to extend the benefits to similar companies worldwide.
As we progress through the development phases, we will continue to share updates on the project’s milestones and breakthroughs. This collaboration marks an essential step for Naco Technologies in advancing sustainable solutions for the automotive sector, and we are proud to work alongside Dinex to drive this mission forward.
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