Dry hydrogen can be activated in an electric discharge if the pressure and voltage are carefully regulated. Active hydrogen reduces metallic sulphides whose heat of formation is 22,000 cal. or less. The active gas is decomposed by 3 cm of well packed glass wool. A quantitative method is given for the determination of active hydrogen. Less of the active gas is formed in a tube coated with stearic acid or phosphoric acid than when no coating is employed. The decay reaction was found to follow the expression for a unimolecular reaction. The rate of decay appears to be independent of the wall surface. The period of half‐life at room temperature and 40 mm pressure is 0.2 sec. approximately. The energy of formation of active hydrogen is approximately 18,000 cal. The energy of activation for the decay of the active constituent is approximately 17,800 cal. The properties of active hydrogen are considered in relation to the properties predicted for H3.
展开▼
