Heterogeneous catalysis hydrogen-oxygen reaction

The study of the various reactions of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and oxygen at oxide surfaces holds a particularly important place in the development of research in heterogeneous catalysis. Not only are the well-established technical aspects of these reactions continuously monitored by those engaged in chemical industry, but the chemist interested in fundamental studies of the interaction of gases with oxides naturally turns to the behavior of these gases because of the combination of high reactivity and molecular simplicity which they afford. Finally, for the chemical physicist,... 

Direct oxidation of propene to propene oxide (PO) with high selectivity and activity is yet to be achieved in heterogeneous catalysis, as was already indicated in the description on the preparation of the Au catalysts. Obviously, the most attractive reaction is the direct oxidation with oxygen, rather than using the previously discussed mixture of oxygen and hydrogen ... 

Clean surfaces often taken up gaseous material, which is adsorbed onto the surface of the solid. For example, many metals adsorb oxygen, hydrogen and water vapour, and charcoal is well known for its adsorbent properties. Heterogeneous catalysis involves adsorption of the reacting materials, in which case modification of the adsorbed species occurs, which makes further reaction that much more likely, so speeding up the overall reaction rate. 

If the catalyst is in a different phase to the reactants, the catalyst is described as a heterogeneous catalyst. You have probably met an example of heterogeneous catalysis when making oxygen gas. The reaction commonly used in the laboratory is the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide solution ... 

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