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Sumitomo and Hitachi announce DPF cooperation

22 February 2013

Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. and Hitachi Metals, Ltd. announced a business cooperation agreement on a new type of diesel particulate filter (DPF) jointly developed by the two companies.

Sumitomo and Hitachi had been independently engaged in the business development of their own particulate filters. Since the summer of 2012, the two companies began working together to develop new DPF products. By combining their technologies, the companies developed a new particulate filter that is expected to contribute to improved fuel efficiency due to its high filtration efficiency and reduced pressure loss. No technical details on the new filter material were disclosed.

The two companies said they will continue to work on further improving the performance of the new particulate filter, while initiating a study about its large-scale production by jointly installing a trial production line. According to the current plan, Sumitomo Chemical and Hitachi Metals intend to reach a final agreement on the business cooperation towards the end of fiscal 2013.

The independent DPF products of the two companies include an aluminum titanate and a cordierite wall-flow particulate filters.

In 2009, Sumitomo Chemical—capitalizing on its expertise in inorganic materials including alumina—developed an aluminum titanate particulate filter (SC-AT). Having established a mother plant for the filter production at its Ehime Works, Japan in 2011 and with plans to begin large scale production in Wrocław, Poland during the second half of 2013, Sumitomo Chemical is working to launch this line of business commercially. The SC-AT filters have been developed in square, octo-square, as well as in an innovative, asymmetrical hexagonal cell configuration.

Hitachi Metals developed a high porosity particulate filter made of cordierite and commenced large scale production in 2003, supplying the Japanese auto industry. The development of new materials is drawing on the strength of Hitachi proprietary micropore control technology.

Source: Sumitomo