This Small Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project deals with developing a novel low temperature CO oxidation catalyst for CO removal from indoor air and for gas masks. CO is frequently found in indoor air due to faulty heating equipment, cracked heat exchangers, cigarette smoke, etc. The CO levels in indoor air can be hazardous especially to chronically ill patients, children, etc. TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) has developed a novel catalyst that effectively oxidizes CO to C02 at temperatures as low as 250C. This catalyst can be used In the HVAC system to oxidize CO to C02 in the return air in buildings. The CO catalyst can be used to remove CO from restaurants, offices, casinos, fire stations etc. TDA has collaborated with a major catalyst manufacturer and an HVAC equipment manufacturer and installer to commercialize the technology., The CO oxidation catalyst may also be used in cartridges for gas masks. The catalyst would oxidize any CO that would pass through currently used carbon canisters, rendering the air that is breathing through the mask safe from CO. During the Phase I project, TDA synthesized, characterized and tested a series of catalysts for CO oxidation at low temperature. In Phase II, TDA will synthesize monolith catalysts and test the catalysts under simulated indoor air cleanup application in the laboratory will also design and fabricate a system to perform a bench-scale test of the catalysts to determine the effectiveness and durability of the catalyst under actual operation. Pelletized catalysts will be made and tested for the gas mask application in Phase II.
The immediate application for the low temperature CO oxidation catalyst is in oxidizing CO to C02 in indoor air. There is a significant market for this application for use in commercial and residential buildings. Other markets are in the use of CO oxidation catalyst for gas, masks to remove CO from breathing air, and for catalysts in PEM fuel cells.
