PHOTOLUMINESCENCE AND FT-IR STUDIES OF THE DISSOCIATIVE ADSORPTION OF H-2 ON THE ACTIVE ZRO2 CATALYST AND ITS ROLE IN THE HYDROGENATION OF CO

Photoluminescence and FT-IR studies of the adsorption of H2 on ZrO2 catalysts have been performdd to clarify the true natuee of active surface sites for the activaiion of H2 in connection with the CO — H2 reaction on the catalyst. The results indicate that the coordinatively unsaturated surface sites with different coordination numbers are generated on the surfaces by evacuation at temperatures higher than 600 K. These surface sites of lower coordination play a significant role in the reversible and irreversible dissociative adsorption of H2 on the active ZrO2 catalyst. The former seems to act as active hydrogen species for the CO — H2 reaction to form branched hydrocarbons on the ZrO2 catalyst. © 1990, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved.