Water activity color change

Again (as mentioned in Section V,C) sulfur compounds perform better than CO, as can be seen in Fig. 20, because they are better dehydrating agents. When Cr/silica is reduced by COS or CS2 a black chromium sulfide forms. Reoxidation then converts it back to the hexavalent oxide. The catalyst retains no sulfur, but it often takes on a new reddish hue and the activity is greatly improved. This is probably an extension of the trend already observed in Fig. 10, which shows both activity and termination to increase as the catalyst is dehydrated. Perhaps the color change from yellow to orange, and finally to red for sulfided catalysts, indicates a transition from chromate to dichromate, or maybe just less coordination to hydroxyls. Adding water vapor to a sulfided catalyst completely reverses the benefit. 

Figure 1-29 Color Change of Milk Powder Kept at 40 C for 10 Days as a Function of Water Activity...

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