Evaluating the Effects of Synthesis Methods on the Catalytic Activity of Platinum and Osmium Supported on Titania for Carbon Monoxide Oxidation

Platinum and Osmium supported on Titania (Pt/TiO2, Os/TiO2) catalysts materials were synthesized
by solid by solid (SSI), sol-gel (SGI), and incipient wetness impregnation (IWI) techniques. The
catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, Raman spectroscopy, surface area
analysis (BET), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. Ex-situ structural studies by X-ray
diffraction and Raman scattering showed that the anatase phase is maintained throughout the 10% of
Pt or Os on Titania phase. The experimental demonstrated that supported platinum and osmium are
active catalysts at moderate temperature for the complete oxidation of CO to CO2; The SSI method
gave the most active catalysts for both Pt and Os. Pt catalysts prepared by SSI were active at
temperature below 100°C and showed a much greater activity than Osmium catalysts. Pollution
trends from vehicular emissions, which contribute to the increase of Zinc, Copper, Lead, Manganese
and Cadmium in the atmosphere, have been determined over a period from 1957 to 2018. A worrying
trend observed for almost all the heavy metals as the levels of these metals have been increasing
exponentially over the past decades. This raises lots of concerns because if this trend is not halted, it
can disturb the study area as some heavy metals recorded values which exceed the WHO guidelines
on the limits of these metals.