Styrene production from ethylbenzene on platinum in a zirconia electrochemical reactor

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2115356· OSTI ID:5898650

Michaels, J N; Vayenas, C G

The vapor-phase electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene on platinum-paste electrodes was studied at 575/sup 0/-600/sup 0/C in a stabilized-zirconia electrochemical reactor. Styrene and carbon dioxide were the major products. The dehydrogenation rate increased markedly with anodic current, reaching an ethylbenzeneconcentration-dependent asymptote at large current densities. The rate of deep oxidation of ethylbenzene to CO and CO/sub 2/ was linear in current density. Both rates were strongly inhibited by gas-phase hydrogen. These results can be rationalized by an electrode mechanism in which the dominant charge-transfer reaction is exchange between chemisorbed oxygen on the electrode and oxygen ions in the electrolyte lattice. Styrene and CO/sub 2/ were formed primarily by catalytic reactions of ethylbenzene and neutral dissociatively adsorbed oxygen, although at least one other parallel chargetransfer reaction was evident. The current dependence of the dehydrogenation rate results from an oxidative dehydrogenation reaction on the surface whose rate is sensitive to the amount of oxygen on the electrode surface. A simple kinetic model is presented which quantitatively describes these experimental observations.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts, Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• OSTI ID: 5898650
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 131:11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
BENZENE
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
DEHYDROGENATION
OXIDATION
PLATINUM
STYRENE
PRODUCTION
CARBON DIOXIDE
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CHEMISORPTION
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ZIRCON
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
HYDROCARBONS
KINETICS
METALS
MINERALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATINUM METALS
REACTION KINETICS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SORPTION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM SILICATES
300505* - Fuel Cells- Electrochemistry
Mass Transfer & Thermodynamics