X-Ray Studies on Metal Oxide Promoted Nickel Catalysts for Hydrogen-Water Deuterium Exchange

Abstract

Nickel catalysts promoted with 20 mol-% of different metal oxides were prepared. The activity of the promoted mixed catalysts for the isotopic exchange of deuterium between hydrogen and water vapour was measured. The total surface area, the specific nickel surface area and the particle diameter of crystalline nickel were calculated. The equation applied for calculation of the particle diameter was presented from the experimental data for nickel surface area measured by the pulse technique. The X-ray diffraction measurements of the catalysts were carried out and indicated that the only peaks produced for catalysts promoted with different metal oxides were those of crystalline nickel. Correlation between the surface properties of the promoted nickel catalysts, their activities for hydrogen-water deuterium exchange and the X-ray diffraction peak-heights of crystalline nickel were established.

Keywords:

• catalysts
• deuterium
• hydrogen
• isotopic exchange
• nickel oxides
• X-ray diffraction