INTERACTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN ON COBALT SURFACES IN RELATION TO FISCHER-TROPSCH REACTION.

Experimental adsorption-desorption studies and semi-empirical extended Hueckel molecular orbital calculations have been performed to gain information on the mode of coadsorption of carbon monoxide and hydrogen and their interaction in the adsorbed state on cobalt FT catalyst. The experimental results obtained show that the interaction among the adsorbed species are only through the metal atoms indicating the absence of any surface complex formation. Theoretical studies also support the conclusion that the activation of CO and H on different sites is more probable than the complex formation and that dissociative adsorption of CO leading to carbide layer is favored.