The chemical reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen after collision with electrons

Abstract

In a previous communication* the authors described a method of measuring rates of reaction of molecules and atoms which were being activated by electron collision in suitably constructed triode tubes. the method has since been extended to study the decomposition of carbon monoxide and its interactions with hydrogen. Carbon monoxide has long been known to undergo decomposition, chiefly into carbon and carbon dioxide in the silent discharge. A mixture of solid oxides containing chiefly C 3 O 2 is always observed. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen yield an even greater diversity of products. Thus Losanitsch and Jovitschitsch and de Hemptinne noted the production of formaldehyde and its polymers and also some formic acid. Slosse and Nowak ¶ and Löb** obtained formaldehyde and methyl alcohol, while the latter also found glycollic aldehyde. M. Berthelot stated that excess of hydrogen favours the production of (CH 2 O) n , whereas excess of carbon monoxide yields (C 3 H 4 O 3 ) n .