Hydrogenation of carbon dioxide on cobalt catalysts – activation,deactivation, influence of carbon monoxide

A batch reactor directly combined with an ultrahigh vacuum apparatus, which is equipped with facilities for catalyst preparation and Auger electron spectroscopy, was used to answer some questions which had arisen in recent studies concerning carbon dioxide hydrogenation on pure metallic and supported Co catalysts. Both oxygen incorporated during oxidation/reduction cycles and carbon deposited when CO₂ is hydrogenated penetrate deep into the bulk. This kind of carbon can easily be hydrogenated. CO strongly hinders the reduction of the oxidized Co surface in the H₂/CO₂ reaction mixture (4 : 1). CO hydrogenation is favoured over CO₂ hydrogenation and leads to a higher percentage of C₂ to C₄ hydrocarbons as compared with CH₄ formation.