The interaction of hydrogen with micro-crystalline charcoal—I

Abstract

The interaction of hydrogen and carbon is one of the more important surface actions, but in the literature are found many discrepancies in the experimental date and conflicting views as to their interpretation. It seemed desirable to make a comprehensive examination of the system over a wide range of temperatures on the same specimens of carbon. Both at high and at low temperatures the sorption of hydrogen by charcoal is a time process. The origin of these time processes has been a matter of dispute. Among the alternatives are activated diffusion and activated adsorption. Allmand§ suggested a slow increase of available area by dissociation and displacement of surface compounds. Some sorption processes may not be activated and yet may take time to reach equilibrium.