CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF PARTIALLY REDUCED COBALT WIRE IN CO HYDROGENATION

The reaction rate and the ethylene/ethane product ratio in CO hydrogen ation increase when cobalt wire, used as a catalyst for the reaction, is reduced to lower extents. The kinetic results obtained with the poo rly reduced wire correlate well with temperature-programmed surface re action (TPSR) and H-2 chemisorption results, and are interpreted to be due to electronic modification of the cobalt surface by the unreduced sub-surface cobalt oxide. It has been concluded that the extent of me tal reduction is an important variable in determining the catalytic pr operty of cobalt.