Oxygen-enhanced propane chemisorption on platinum

Abstract The effect of oxygen chemisorbed on a Raney platinum surface on the subsequent chemisorption of propane at 100 °C, particularly in the simultaneous presence of preadsorbed water, has been studied. With increasing degree of coverage of the surface with chemisorbed oxygen, the amount of propane subsequently chemisorbed is increased. For instance, chemisorption of about 0.65 atoms of oxygen per platinum surface atom increases the amount of chemisorbed propane at a pressure of 1 mm Hg and 100 °C by a factor of about 3. It is assumed that the chemisorbing hydrocarbon reacts with O or OH groups present on the platinum surface.