Kinetics of the oxidation of ethane by nitric oxide over manganese(III) oxide

Abstract

The catalytic reaction between ethane and nitric oxide over manganese(III) oxide has been investigated in a continuous flow system from 673 to 573 K at atmospheric pressure. The products of catalysis were nitrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and water. The rate of nitrous oxide formation was constant over this temperature region, while the apparent activation energies for nitrogen and carbon dioxide formation increased from 32 ± 4 and 22 ± 4 kJ mol−1, respectively, at 573 to 613 K, to 78 ± 4 and 63 ± 4 kJ mol−1 between 613 and 673 K. The kinetic results were best described by the rate equation:[Formula: see text]The surface mechanism appears to be complex and has been interpreted by a scheme involving interaction of the reactants in an absorbed layer. Both nitric oxide and ethane are believed to be involved further in subsequent steps. Infrared evidence indicates the possibility of a surface nitrate intermediate consistent with the mechanistic proposal. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction techniques were used to assess the catalyst structure.