Methanation over transition metal catalysts. III. Co/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ in sulfur-poisoning studies

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Catal.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6408801

Agrawal, P K; Katzer, J R; Manogue, W H

Poisoning of Co/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ by H/sub 2/S in CO hydrogenation was studied in an all-quartz recycle reactor; the studies were carried out at atmospheric pressure and at 390/sup 0/C with feed gas containing 1 to 4% CO in H/sub 2/ and 13 to 100 ppB H/sub 2/S. Sulfur-poisoned catalysts were analyzed using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Addition of 13 ppB H/sub 2/S reduced the steady-state methanation activity of Co/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ by more than 10/sup 3/-fold at 390/sup 0/C; 90 ppB H/sub 2/S reduced the activity 10/sup 4/-fold. AES studies showed that the loss in methanation activity resulted from two-dimensional surface sulfide formation; no sulfur was present in the subsurface regions. In the sulfur poisoning of Co/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, carbon plays only a secondary role. Poisoning by sulfur appears to be due primarily to geometric blockage of sites, with one sulfur atom adsorbed per two surface Co atoms. Electronic effects due to sulfur adsorption are also important as evidenced by a 12 kcal/mole reduction in the activation energy for methanation upon poisoning.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Delaware, Newark
• OSTI ID: 6408801
• Journal Information: J. Catal.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Catal.; (United States) Vol. 69:2; ISSN JCTLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090121* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ACTIVATION ENERGY
ALKANES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CATALYSIS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COBALT COMPOUNDS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
METHANATION
METHANE
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POISONING
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS