EVIDENCE FOR A HIGH OXYGEN MOBILITY IN LI MGO

The oxidative properties of Li/MgO in the absence of O2 were studied a t 730-degrees-C using C2H4 as a reducing agent and a multisectional fl ow stainless steel tubular reactor. Large amounts of CO and H-2 were d etermined. it was demonstrated that Li/MgO exhibited a high oxygen mob ility. The exchange capacity was (2.4-4.0) x 10(20) oxygen atoms per 1 g of the catalyst and the period of oxygen donation was 150 h or more . After the catalyst reduction, its oxygen transfer ability was fully restored by re-oxidation in the stream of air. Oxidation Of C2H4 to CO and H-2 was accompanied by its decomposition to C and H-2. The ratio DELTAH-2/DELTAC2H4 was found to be 1.91 +/- 0.13 independently of the oxidation state of the catalyst, the location of the sampling point al ong the catalyst bed (and the post-catalytic zone) and the duration of the experiment. The mechanism was discussed.