Substances that poison a catalyst pose a major concern for many engineering desi
ID: 870341 • Letter: S
Question
Substances that poison a catalyst pose a major concern for many engineering designs, including catalytic converters. One design concept is to add materials that react with potential poisons before they reach the catalyst. Among the commonly encountered catalyst poisons are silicon and phosphorus, which typically form phosphate or silicate ions in the oxidizing environment of an engine. Group 2 elements are added to the catalyst to react with these contaminants before they reach the working portion of the catalytic converter. If estimates show that a catalytic converter will be exposed to 550. g of silicon during its lifetime, what mass of beryllium would need to be included in the design?
Explanation / Answer
The job of the catalytic converter is to convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before they ever leave the car's