Catalytic hydrogenolysis of ethane. Variation of hydrogen pressure effects with temperature

The kinetics of the hydrogenolysis of ethane to methane were investigated over a 10 % cobalt on silica catalyst. The reaction was first order in ethane partial pressure over the whole range of temperatures investigated, 219–288°C. The effect of hydrogen partial pressure on the rate of hydrogenolysis however, varied, markedly with temperature. At the lowest temperature the rate was almost inversely proportional to hydrogen partial pressure, but the inhibiting effect of hydrogen decreased significantly with increasing temperature. The broad range of conditions covered by the study have led to results which require a more general kinetic formulation than has been considered previously for ethane hydrogenolysis.