Effect of mechanochemical treatment on gasification of carbon by carbon dioxide in stirred mill reactor

The Boudouard reaction, that is, reaction of activated carbon with carbon d ioxide to carbon monoxide, is carried out at 773 Ei in a stirred mill react or. The mean diameter of activated carbon changes from 44 to 1.2 mum by the grinding. The reaction occurs by grinding activated carbon in the reactor and the reaction rate increases with the increase of stirring rate of ball. The reaction rate also increases by addition of iron powders as the cataly st and the catalytic activity of iron powders is changed by the kinds of ba ll (iron or zirconia) and the diameter of iron powders. This catalytic acti vity is preserved after the stirring of ball is stopped. However, the react ion rate decreases with time and the decrease rate is dependent on the kind s of bail and the diameter of iron powders. Nickel oxide powders show catal ytic activity by mixing with iron ball but not with zirconia ball. To inves tigate the interaction between activated carbon and iron, the surfaces are observed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersiv e X-ray analyzer (EDX).