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Title: Catalytic gasification of graphite or carbon. Quarterly report, October 1, 1985-December 31, 1985

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6001179

Two chars (from Illinois No. 6 coal and from Montana subbituminous coal) were impregnated with KOH-NiO and compared for steam gasification with graphite containing the same catalyst. The rate of H/sub 2/ (and CO/sub 2/) production at 890K was initially an order of magnitude higher for the chars than for graphite. (2) The gasification for the chars declined as a function of time. After about 25% of the char was gasified the rate was still three times that of graphite. (3) Comparing for the Montana char the catalytic effect of KOH-NiO with K/sub 2/O/sub 3/ alone, it was found that the former was up to six times more active than the latter. (4) Determination of an optimal ratio of K/Ni is underway. While it had previously been shown that in case of KOH impregnation alone the rate of hydrogen production is a function of the amount of KOH present (stoichiometric reaction), it is found that in the case of KOH-NiO there is no dependency on the ratio of catalyst to carbon. The reaction is therefore truly catalytic. (5) Thermal desorption studies with CO, CO/sub 2/ and O/sub 2/ on pure graphite show the presence of carbonyl, lactone, and quinone groups on the graphite edges. Future work will delineate whether the same intermediates exist in the presence of catalysts. Thermal desorption studies using water on the graphite are underway. (6) Further experiments are in progress to ascertain the different mechanisms and species we propose. In particular, XPS studies will be undertaken in order to bring additional proof of the existence of the carbonyls, carboxyls, quinones and the other possible oxygenated species that we now know how to ''prepare'' on the surface. We will also try to do the same kind of TDS measurements on a catalyst loaded sample in order to understand better the catalytic behavior of the hydrogasification.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
6001179
Report Number(s):
LBL-20775; ON: DE86009266
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English