The catalytic activity of copper.—Part ∥

Abstract

In Part I of this series of papers, the writer described the construction of an apparatus for determining directly the relation between reaction-velocity and temperature in the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethyl alcohol by the action of copper produced from cupric oxide by reduction. Some preliminary results were also given. This work has now been extended both by using reducing agents other than hydrogen (namely, carbon monoxide and methy1 alcohol vapour) in the preparation of the catalyst and by the use of other alcohols as reacting substances. In the earlier work, the method consisted in obtaining an automatic record of the rate of escape of hydrogen liberated in the reaction, at several different temperatures, the temperature being kept constant during each experiment. This method proved very laborious, since only by making experiments at a great number of different temperatures could a sufficiently intimate knowledge of the influence of temperature be obtained. Also, the catalyst had always to be reprepared by oxidation and reduction between experiments.