Development and Characterization of Oxidation Catalysts for Air Purification

摘要

The objective of this project was the development and characterization of low temperature catalysts for removal of toxic chemical agents from air. Collective protection systems are being developed which depend on the catalytic destruction of chemical and biological agents. This method of air purification offers several potential advantages over conventional absorption systems, but successful development will require highly active catalysts which can function at temperatures as low as 250 C in order to minimize weight, volume and energy requirements. The objective of this research has been the identification of such catalysts by the determination of the important catalyst characteristics which affect the rate of destruction of a wide range of chemical agents and agent simulants, including cyanogen chloride (CK), hydrogen cyanide (AC), phosgene (CG), and dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), by catalytic oxidation and/or hydrolysis. Catalytic destruction of CG was achieved at temperatures as low as 75 C and of CK as low as 150 C. The best catalysts identified for conversion of AC and DMMP showed high initial activity at 250 C.