Kyocera Corp. has announced that it has developed a sensing element to help monitor soot filters in diesel-engine vehicles, which the company believes is the first ever to withstand operating temperatures above 500°C without the use of platinum. Awarded in the Green Innovation category at the CEATEC Japan 2015 trade show, the new product utilizes a new base-metal alloy to withstand higher temperatures while reducing production costs and helping to improve air pollution from engine emissions.
As environmental regulations grow more stringent, soot sensors are expected to become necessary for monitoring diesel engine emissions. Most sensing elements for soot sensors currently in development by other companies utilize conductors made of platinum, which can resist oxidation at high temperature. However, platinum can cause catalytic reactions with soot, and at very high temperatures, can even cause soot to burn. Kyocera has overcome these problems by developing a new base-metal alloy to replace platinum in its new element, which the company plans to further develop, with samples available in January 2017.
