377. BROWNING, L. C., DEWITT, T. W., AND EMMETT, P. H. Equilibria in the Systems Fe2C-Fe-CH4-H2 and Fe3C-Fe-CH4-H2. Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 72, 1950, pp. 4211-4217; Chem. Abs., vol. 45, 1951, p. 1861

377. BROWNING, L. C., DEWITT, T. W., AND EMMETT, P. H. Equilibria in the Systems Fe2C-Fe-CH4-H2 and Fe3C-Fe-CH4-H2. Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 72, 1950, pp. 4211-4217; Chem. Abs., vol. 45, 1951, p. 1861.

Equilibrium constants for the reaction (I) CH₄+2 Fe(a)=Fe₂C+2H₂ were reported in the temperature range 295°-350° and for the reaction (II) CH₄+3Fe(a)=Fe₃C(β)+2H₂ in the temperature range 320°-468°. Free energies of formation of Fe₂C and Fe₃C, calculated from the data for reactions (I) and (II), led to the conclusion that the formation of all mono-olefins and of saturated hydrocarbons containing more than 6 C atoms by the direct reduction of Fe₂C and Fe₃C in the temperature range 450°-650° K. is thermodynamically unfavorable. The results obtained for reaction (II) agree well with those obtained at higher temperatures by Watase (abs. 3616).