Abstract. A durable platinum catalyst, bonded to an aluminium-containing ferritic steel, Fecralloy, has been applied in a long-lived sealed CO₂ TEA laser. Here it recombines gaseous O₂ and CO, excess of which limits laser life. An experimental determination has been made of the rates at which Fecralloy-Pt catalysts recombine O₂ and CO at low concentrations in the basic laser gas mixtures of CO₂, N₂ and He at a total pressure of one atmosphere. The O₂ and CO removal rates are shown to increase with power into the catalyst but to be relatively independent of both reaction time and partial pressures of O₂, CO and CO₂. Fecralloy-Pt is active at much lower temperatures than a hot platinum wire. Hence, because of its much reduced power requirements and greater strength, it has considerable advantages in compact, portable, sealed CO₂ TEA lasers.

Print publication: Issue 7 (July 1988)