The analysis of mixtures of ortho and para-hydrogen and the catalytic conversion o.H2 → p.H2

This report describes experiments undertaken to measure the catalytic activity at - 195 deg. C of different types of absorbents for the heterogeneous conversion o.H2 → p.H2. The analytical method employed is a differential measurement of the thermal conductivity of the gas. In contrast to the classic method of FARKAS we have worked at room temperature (the difference of several per cent between the thermal conductivities of ortho and para-hydrogen at this temperature being found sufficiently great) and with a continuously recording system. The gas is at atmospheric pressure. We have investigated also the possibilities of an industrial katharometer which would allow a great extension to be given to this method of analysis. The instrument proved satisfactory. It has been checked that the paramagnetic conversion obeys first order kinetics. A certain number of absorbing substances were tested and amongst them, the active carbons, often used in the laboratory for the production of para-hydrogen, were shown to be the least active. A chromium oxide-aluminium oxide catalyst prepared from data available in the literature had a very great activity. In addition, some observations of the influence of adsorbed gases on the catalytic activity are reported: the comparison with the literature data is not easy due to the uncertainty in the physico-chemical nature of the absorbents used in the two cases. Finally, some bibliographic data relative to the properties of the two forms of hydrogen, their measurement, and the different mechanisms of interconversion are given. (author)