Mass spectrometric investigation of the kinetics and mechanism of the gas phase and heterogeneous catalytic decomposition of perchloric acid in mixtures of hydrogen, methane, and ammonia

Abstract

1. The kinetics of the reaction of perchloric acid in the presence of hydrogen, methane, and ammonia on the catalyst Fe2O3 at 320–380° and without a catalyst in a Pyrex reactor at 450–550° was investigated by a mass spectrometric method. The Influence of the ratio of the surface of the reactor to its volume (S/V) on the rate of decomposition of HClO4, pure and in mixtures of fuels — without a catalyst — was investigated. 2. Hydrogen increases the rate of gas phase decomposition of HClO4 to a greater degree, the larger PH2/PHClO4. The reaction is first order with respect to hydrogen and acid. Methane and ammonia do not have any appreciable influence on the rate of the gas phase decomposition of HClO4. The reaction is first order with respect to the acid and zero order with respect to the fuel. 3. In the heterogeneous catalytic decomposition of HClO4 on Fe2O3, methane has no appreciable influence, but H2 approximately doubles the rate of decomposition of HClO4 at 320°.