Kinetics of isotopic exchange reaction between hydrogen and water vapor over platinum supported on a hydrophobic carrier

Abstract

Abstract The isotopic exchange reaction between hydrogen and water vapor was studied for the temperature range 313 K to 353 K over platinum supported on hydrophobic styrene‐divinylbenzene copolymer beads, and, for comparison, platinum supported on hydrophilic alumina pellets. The hydrophobic catalyst exhibited a high activity even with the gas saturated with water vapor, whereas the hydrophilic catalyst showed maximum exchange rate at a relative humidity of approximately 0.6. The dependences of the exchange rates on relative humidity, hydrogen partial pressure and temperature were extensively examined. The combined effect of surface reaction and intraparticle diffusion on the overall exchange reaction was analyzed to explain the kinetic behavior on the hydrophobic catalyst.