ELWORTHYj 



PARTIAL OXIDATION OF METHANE 



97 



Resîdts 



The fii'st series of experiments was made by passing natural gas 

 over magnetite, at various temperatures between 150° and 400°C. 



The results were all negative. Magnetite can hardly be regarded 

 as a catalyst for it takes part in the reaction. Iron oxide, prepared 

 by igniting ferric hydroxide and copper oxide on asbestos, were 

 similarly tried out. In the latter experiments oxygen was mixed 

 with the natural gas in the ratio of 1:2 and 1:1. The temperature in 

 various experiments ranged from 150° to 380°C. and the volume of 

 natural gas passed through one litre of catalyst in one hour, a relation 

 known as the "space velocity," varied from 11 to 55. Faint traces of 

 formaldehyde were detected at 380° with copper oxide. 



A further series of experiments was then carried out with this 

 catalyst at higher temperatures in which the ratio of gas to oxygen 

 was varied, the total flow rate being constant at 0.1 litre per minute. 



The results are given in the following table: 



Catalyist — Copper Oxide on Asbestos 



Formaldehyde was detected in each case but never in sufficient 

 quantity for a reliable quantitative estimation, though such deter- 

 minations showed relatively larger amounts in the last four experi- 

 ments of the series than in the earlier ones. 



Assuming a conversion of only 1 per cent, methane to formalde- 

 hyde, at least 5 mgm. aldehyde should have been present according 

 to the quantity of gas put through, yet not one-tenth of this amount 

 was found at the most. Methyl alcohol was never detected. 



The experiments show that formaldehyde is not formed at a 

 lower catalyst temperature than 400° yet the work of Bone and 

 Smith ^ on the decomposition of formaldehyde proves that at this 

 'Jour. Chem. Soc. 910, 1905. 

 7— C 



