MATERIALS FOR SELECTIVE ABSORPTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE

CARBON MONOXIDE IS A COLORLESS, ODORLESS, POISONOUS GAS PRO-DUCED BY THE INCOMPLETE COMBUSITON OF HYDROCARBON FUELS. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT OUTDOOR AND INDOOR AIR POLLUTANT. AUTOMO ARE THE MJOR SOURCE OF OUTDOOR CARBON MONOXIDE, AND IT IS EMITTED AT THE HIGHEST RATE DURING THE FIRST FEW MINUTES WHEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS NOT ACTIVE. MAJOR SOURCES OF INDOOR POLLUTION ARE APPLIANCES AND CIGARETTES. CONCEN- TRATIONS IN ENCLOSED SPACES SUCH AS ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES AND BUILDING AND AIRCRAFT CABINS CAN BE HIGH BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED AIR CIRCULATION RATE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO DEVELOP MATERIALS WHICH SEL-ECTIVELY ADSORB CARBON MONXIDE AT LOW TEMPERATURES, AND RE- LEASE IT AT HIGH TEMPERATURES. SUCH MATERIALS COULD REDUCE EMISSIONS DURING COLD OPERATION OF AUTOMOBILES BY TRAPPING CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE EXHAUST AND HOLDING IT UNTIL THE CAT-LYST HAS REACHED OPERATIONG TEMPERATURE. IN CLOSED EVNIRON MENTS, THE ADSORBENT WOULD CONCENTRATE THE CARBON MONOXIDE SO THAT IT CAN BE MORE EFFICIENTLY REMOVED OR OXIDIZED. SEVERAL DIFFERENT CARBON MONOXIDE ADSORBING MATERIALS WILL BE FABRICATED AND TESTED FOR ADSORPTION CAPACITY, SELECTIVITY, AND STABILITY, AND AN APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS WILL BE CONDUCT TED TO DETERMINE THE NOST PROMISING APPLICATIONS FOR THESE MATERIALS.