In order to understand
how a catalytic converter works it is necessary to understand how a catalyst
works. A catalyst is a material that helps to increase the rate of a chemical
reaction but it does not get used up during the reaction. Many metals,
such as platinum or rhodium, are known to possess surfaces with excellent catalytic properties. Since
these metals are not used up during the reaction, a
small amount of catalyst can have a major impact on the speed or effectiveness
of a reaction. They can also allow reactions to occur at lower temperatures. The animation below shows carbon monoxide reacting with
oxygen on a rhodium catalyst surface to form carbon dioxide.
