REACTIONS OF CARBON MONOXIDE ON SILICA-SUPPORTED RUTHENIUM: THE EFFECT OF ADDITION OF ALKALI METAL MODIFIERS AND BIMETALLIC CLUSTER FORMATION ON THE CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF RUTHENIUM

The role of alkali metals as catalytic modifiers for the methanation and Fischer-Tropsch reaction has been studied over a series of silica-supported Ru catalysts. The results of this investigation indicate a depression in the rate of hydrogenation of the surface carbon species due to the addition of the modifier. They also suggest that an electronic effect in the CO-H(,2) reaction is secondary to a geometric effect caused by site blocking of the Ru ensembles by alkali adatoms.; The oxidation of CO on silica-supported Ru-Rh bimetallic catalysts has also been studied. The results of these experiments suggest that true bimetallic clusters are formed. The bimetallic clusters demonstrate acceptable catalytic behavior for the formation of CO(,2) without significant catalyst deactivation.