Investigation Into the Sensitivity of Low Temperature CO Oxidation On a Pt Based Catalyst

With a body of literature that reaches all the way back to Langmuir, CO oxidation is a highly investigated reaction. A novel Pt- Ceria – Silica based catalyst is characterized and kinetic effects investigated in an oxygen rich atmosphere. Hysteresis and high sensitivity in the catalyst can be seen by varying the water vapor, CO concentration and bed depth of the system. Conversion jumps from 10% to 60% following a step from 60% to 75% RH. A hysteresis is also seen varying from 20% to 90% RH and back. CO concentration was also found to jump from 100% conversion to near complete deactivation following a 200ppm step in concentration. A 0.5 mm change in bed depth is also found to make the difference between a catalyst which begins deactivating after 10 minutes and a catalyst which stays active for hours. The highly non-linear kinetics are subject to CO poisoning and heat transfer effects. These results have real consequences in potential life saving and CO filtration applications.