A kinetic study of methanol decomposition catalyzed over plate-type palladium catalyst

A kinetic study of the catalytic methanol decomposition to carbon monoxide and hydrogen has been carried out in the pressure range of methanol up to 8 atm at 200 and 250°C over a palladium catalyst supported on an oxidized aluminum plate. The reaction pathway can be proposed as (i) dissociative adsorption of methanol to methoxyl groups and hydrogen adsorbed on palladium sites, (ii) decomposition of the methoxyl groups to carbon monoxide and hydrogen adsorbed, and (iii) desorption of the surface carbon monoxide and hydrogen species. It is suggested that the second step is rate-determining and the surface hydrogen species enhance the decomposition of the methoxyl groups.