Pretreatment of Platinum/Tin Oxide-Catalyst

Addition of CO to He pretreatment doubles catalytic activity. In sealed, high-energy, pulsed CO2 laser, CO and O2 form as decomposition products of CO2 in laser discharge zone. Products must be recombined, because oxygen concentration of more than few tenths of percent causes rapid deterioration of power, ending in unstable operation. Promising low-temperature catalyst for combining CO and O2 is platinum on tin oxide. New development increases activity of catalyst so less needed for recombination process.