Significance of the reduction of alkali carbonates in catalytic carbon gasification

The catalytic effect of alkali carbonates on carbon gasification depends not only on the initial catalyst loading but also on how these carbonates are reduced to surface complexes during the initial heating of the samples. This effect is primarily due to three important processes which take place simultaneously during the initial heat treatment: 1, catalyst re-distribution on the surface; 2, catalyst loss by vaporization; and 3, change in the substrate surface area due to carbon conversion.