INFLUENCE OF POLARIZATION OF NICKEL AND PALLADIUM ELECTRODES WITH PROTON-CONDUCTING SOLID ELECTROLYTES ON THE CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF THESEELECTRODES IN ETHYLENE HYDROGENATION

Ethylene hydrogenation was studied al catalytic Ni and Pt electrodes i n cells with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte: C2H4 + H-2, Ni(Pd) \ CsHSO4 \ Pd, He + H-2. It was found that depending on the direction of current flow in the cell (or hydrogen flux in the electrolyte), it is possible to reversibly alter (lower or raise) the catalytic activi ty of the Ni electrode. The changes in ethylene hydrogenation rate wer e found to be of a nonfaradaic nature, and more than an order of magni tude in excess of the hydrogen flux in the electrolyte.