A heated platinum wire was used in a sealed CO2–N2–He laser system, resulting in increases in output power that were dependent on the initial fill pressure of CO2. The system was also filled with a CO2–He mixture and made to lase. Heating of the platinum wire caused a decrease in output power. It was tentatively concluded that the platinum catalyzes the reaction CO + O → CO2, permitting a higher concentration of CO2 in a sealed system than is otherwise possible.
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Taylor et al. (1967) studied this question.