Heterogeneous ignition and steady-state kinetics of reaction between m
ethylamine and excess oxygen on polycrystalline platinum have been stu
died in a mixed reactor. The oxidation of hydrogen initiates the ignit
ion, and the released heat which increases the temperature of platinum
wire accelerates the decomposition of methylamine, and then more hydr
ogen is released until a final steady-state of the system is reached.
CH3NH2 --> HCN + 2H(2), 2H(2) + O-2 --> 2H(2)O, and HCN + 7/4 O-2 -->
NO + CO2 + 1/2 H2O, are the reactions which react when a mixture of me
thylamine and oxygen contacts a high-temperature Pt wire. The flux lim
ited kinetics of these three reactions can be described by Langmuir-Hi
nshelwood (LH) rate expressions with empirical expressions for the sti
cking coefficients. It is found that these Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate e
xpressions correlate all rate data within +/-15% at all temperatures a
nd pressures. The results suggest that the reactive species are strong
ly inhibited by molecular oxygen. The selectivities of products can be
quantitatively determined.