Kinetic modelling of multiple-site activity and the kinetics of inhibition reactions in the hydrogenolysis of C2H6 on a nickel wire catalyst

Abstract

Analysis of kinetic data on the rate of CH₄ production in the hydrogenolysis of C₂H₆ carried out using a specially activated Ni wire catalyst indicates the presence of at least two distinct types of active surface sites on the catalyst. The results are interpreted in terms of competitive catalysis at these two sites but with only one type of site subject to irreversible inhibition. A model involving parallel competitive poisoning on one type of site is developed and shown to account for the observed results. From this model the separate activation energies for the normal hydrogenolysis reaction (129 kJ mol^–1) and the self-poisoning reaction (146 kJ mol^–1) are calculated.