The deactivation of nickel catalysts in the hydrogenation of acetonitrile

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Catalysis; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1006/jcat.1993.1265· OSTI ID:5772337

Verhaak, M J.F.M. ^[1]; Van Dillen, A J; Geus, J W ^[2]

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1. ECN, Petten (Netherlands)
2. Univ. of Utrecht (Netherlands)

Nickel catalysts tend to deactivate in the hydrogenation of acetonitrile. Using temperature-programmed techniques, combined with a number of different analytical procedures, including mass spectrometry, it was established that the formation of surface nickel carbides was the major cause of the loss of activity with time on stream. The presence of partly dehydrogenated species was a second factor causing the loss of activity. Even in the presence of hydrogen adsorbed nitrile molecules were partly dehydrogenated during the process. The resulting species were strongly adsorbed on the nickel surface and blocked some of the active sites for hydrogenation. Treatment of the deactivated catalyst with hydrogen at an elevated temperature (>200[degrees]C) restored both the catalytic activity and the selectivity of the catalyst. The influence of the hydrogen partial pressure on the rate of deactivation was assessed by performing the hydrogenation at several different molar hydrogen-to-acetonitrile (H/C) ratios. It was found that the performance of the catalyst could be maintained when a large excess of hydrogen was present in the feed. Under the experimental conditions, a H/C ratio higher than about 25 was required to maintain productivity. 22 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 5772337
• Journal Information: Journal of Catalysis; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Catalysis; (United States) Vol. 143:1; ISSN 0021-9517; ISSN JCTLA5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
ACETONITRILE
CATALYSIS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DEACTIVATION
ELEMENTS
HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGENATION
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALS
NICKEL
NITRILES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
SPECTROSCOPY
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS