A catalytic converter, or an autocatalyst, is an important part of the vehicle exhaust system used for reducing the harmful emission into the atmosphere after combustion of the fuel mixture. Also, it is one of the most expensive components in modern vehicles. The secret of high cost is inside of this car part. 
What Is An Autocatalyst Made of?
So, what makes this car part so expensive? It contains such precious metals as palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Why do manufacturers use them? According to environmental standards, modern vehicles must be as “clean” as possible, with low harmful emissions. And palladium plays one of the key roles in achieving this goal.
The body of this device has a metal or ceramic structure, which consists of many honeycombs. Above they are covered with a thin layer of metal. This design helps to increase the surface area that comes into contact with the exhaust gases. The result is a chemical reaction that turns harmful gases into environmentally friendly ones.
How does it work? For example, palladium is able to neutralize exhausts exceeding its weight by 900 times. Thus, the high demand for rare metals has led to a rapid rise in the market price.
For exhaust treatment, diesel engine vehicles use platinum, while gasoline-powered cars use palladium. Hybrid vehicles have a higher palladium content than conventional vehicles. This is because hybrid cars do not have time to warm up the catalytic converter to improve their efficiency, so more precious metal is required to absorb more harmful emissions.
Is It Possible to Extract Precious Metals from A Catalytic Converter?
The modern chemical industry makes it possible. But all the methods it offers are quite complex, require many specific skills, as well as considerable material costs. Therefore, it is very difficult and inappropriate to extract precious metals from a catalytic converter on your own.
Of course, with the aid of certain knowledge and skills, you can do it, but remember that you are unlikely to extract these precious metals in their pure form.
Therefore, it is advisable to extract expensive metals from this car part only on an industrial scale. Only when several dozen or hundreds of such car parts can be processed simultaneously, this method can be a way to make money.
If you want to “extract” some precious metals, there is a much easier way, for example, to invest in them https://www.pacificpreciousmetals.com/.
The Bottom Line
At the moment, the largest automakers are stocking up on palladium for future use, as the price of it, according to forecasts, will only grow. But this growth cannot be open-ended. It will last exactly until it becomes more profitable and efficient to use another metal, platinum.
The transition from one metal to another is not possible in a short time: The restructuring of production can take several years and require billions. That is why one of the most expensive items in the budget of many major automakers has become the search for a replacement for palladium and platinum.
