3132.     SCHUMAN, S. C.  Role of the Carbides of Iron in the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.  Jour. Chem. Phys., vol. 16, 1948, p. 1175; Chem. Abs., vol. 43, 1949, p. 1636.

        Equilibrium constants have been calculated for the formation of hydrocarbons from Fe₂C, CO, and H₂ in accordance with the reactions   

(1)  Fe₂C+(2n-1)H₂+(n-1)CO=C_nH_2n+2Fe+(n-1)H₂O

  (2)  Fe2C+2nH2+(n-1)CO=CnH2n+2+2Fe+(n-1)H2O

by which hydrocarbons are produced with each hydrocarbon molecule containing 1 C atom derived from an Fe₂C intermediate, using the free energy data for Fe₂C given by Kummer, Browning, and Emmett, and the data for CO, H₂O, and hydrocarbons of Rossini.  The equilibrium constants for both reactions are shown at 227° and 327° for n=2 and n=8.  These data indicate that the formation of hydrocarbons from Fe₂C is thermodynamically possible under the conditions employed in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.  While no claim is made that reactions (1) and (2) represent the chemical process responsible for the formation of Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons, they are at least as compatible with the experimental synthesis data as the reactions considered by Kummer, Browning, and Emmett.