CATALYST TRANSFORMATION DURING ALKALI-CATALYZED CARBON GASIFICATION.

The kinetics and mechanism of carbon gasification reaction catalyzed by alkali metals have been the subject of numerous studies and comprehensive reviews are available. Although the mechanism of catalyst action is not completely understood, there is a general agreement that the reaction follows a redox mechanism. In this mechanism, the alkali catalyst cycles between an oxidized and a reduced form. During this cycle the catalyst transfers oxygen from the gaseous reactant to the carbon surface; the net effect is production of CO. Presently, the disagreement is on the nature and the stoichiometry of the catalytic intermediate compounds. The purpose of this study is to characterize the mechanism and the kinetics of the processes in which sodium and potassium carbonates are reduced from their initial forms to the catalytic intermediate forms.