Design and Application of a New Reactor for in Situ Infrared Spectroscopic Investigations of Heterogeneously Catalyzed Reactions

A design of a metal reactor equipped with gas in- and outlet tubings and IR transparent windows is described. The IR cell approximates a wellstirred tank reactor and is suited for in situ kinetic investigations of catalytic reactions. While the catalyst, in contact with the reactants and products, is analyzed in situ by means of time-resolved FT-IR spectroscopy, the effluent gas stream is analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. The reactor operates at temperatures up to 870 K; for applications of temperature-programmed desorption/reaction, linear heating rates between 1 and 20 K/min can be realized. Examples for applications are given.