At one time in the United States air pollution created by cars had almost reached epidemic proportions, especially in large cities. To help reduce the pollution, clean-air laws were created, driving car manufactures to reduce the amounts of pollution produced by cars. One of the devices developed to help reduce these pollutants was the catalytic converter. Through a chemical process, this ingenious device helps convert exhaust gases into less harmful emissions, causing less pollution.

Even though the catalytic converter has been very successful in reducing pollution, one of its weaknesses is that it must reach a high temperature before the chemical conversion can take place. So, while the catalytic converter is still cold a substantial amount of pollution enters the atmosphere. To help solve this problem, researchers at NASA have invented a new type of catalytic converter called the Low Temperature Oxidation Catalyst which begins working as soon as a car is started. This greatly reduces the amount of pollution that reaches the atmosphere and makes the air we breathe much cleaner.

Tonya St. Romain spoke with Dr. Jeff Jordan of the Advanced Measurement and Diagnostics Branch to find out more.

Additional Information
http://www.nasatech.com/Spinoff/spinoff1999/er2.htm