Carbon Monoxide

[deleted-291856]

Hi,
I'm trying to do a project where I invent a device to attract carbon monoxide based on chemical, electrical, and/or magnetic properties. Any suggestions?

[norman40]

Hi allai,

Are you thinking of ways to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in a gas mixture? Or did you have some other purpose in mind for a device to attract carbon monoxide?

Methods are available for reducing the amount of carbon monoxide in gas mixtures. The most commonly used method may be the catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.

For example, a catalyst in the exhaust system of an automobile is used to convert the oxidize the carbon monoxide produced from burning gasoline. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter
An online search will reveal many other examples of carbon monoxide oxidation catalysts.

Another method is some type of absorption of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can weakly bind to the surface of certain metal or metal oxide materials. For example, carbon monoxide can be absorbed by alumina or activated carbon. Here are links to a couple of articles that discuss carbon monoxide interactions with alumina and activated carbon that you might find interesting:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/j100661a002

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 2/abstract


I hope this helps. Please post again if you have more questions.

A. Norman

[deleted-291856]

Hi norman40,
I was thinking more of a device that could attract carbon monoxide during fires, since these gases could knock you out/kill you pretty easily.

Do you think it would be feasible if the alumina or other metals were melted into a liquid, and sprayed it around a burning house for example to absorb the carbon monoxide into the metal? Or maybe a catalytic converter and alumina combination that could attract carbon monoxide and then convert it to carbon dioxide (somehow circulate it to outside)?


Thanks so much.

[norman40]

Hello allai,

Good idea! It would be handy to have a device that could reduce the amount of carbon monoxide around during a fire. But I’m not aware of any materials that could attract carbon monoxide as you’ve described.

Catalysts and absorbent materials like the ones I mentioned in my previous work when molecules of carbon monoxide come into contact with them. Any attraction between these materials and carbon monoxide works only at very short distances –- on the order of the size of a molecule. Some very nearby carbon monoxide molecules might be affected by the spray-on treatment you described. But most of the carbon monoxide would be too far away.

Consider how an automotive catalytic converter works. The engine pumps exhaust gases through a chamber that contains a catalyst. The catalyst structure is designed to permit maximum contact with the gases flowing through. As a result the catalyst can efficiently oxidize the carbon monoxide.

I think your idea might need to include some way to continuously move the smoke and gases from a fire into a catalyst or scrubber.

I hope this helps. Please post again if you have more questions.

A. Norman