3444.    ---------------.  [TROESCH, A.]  [Dissociation of Methane in Presence of a Nickel Catalyst.]  Jour. chim. phys., vol. 47, 1950, pp. 274-285; Chem. Abs., vol. 44, 1950, p. 7637.

        Studies made in the absence and presence of a Ni catalyst indicate that no reaction took place between CH₄ and Ni at 112°-287°.  No intermediate carbide is necessary to explain the decomposition.  The evidence suggests that Ni carbide is not responsible for the efficacy of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.