2112.     LI, C. H.  [Decomposition of Carbon Monoxide on Nickel.]  Rev. Phys. Chem. Japan, vol. 2, 1929, p. 11; vol. 4, 1931, p. 118; vol. 5, 1932, p. 41; Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind. (Japan), vol. 43, 1940, B, p. 177.

        Decomposition of CO on Ni takes place according to the active points of Ni in the following 3 steps:  2 CO+3 Ni=Ni₃C+CO₂; 2 CO+Ni=NiC+CO₂; 2 CO=C+CO₂.  Reaction (1) takes place on the most active points of the catalyst and the C and the CO is unreversibly held as Ni₃C in the Ni atom so that the Ni is poisoned.  Reaction (2) occurs on the surface with the next-strongest activity on which the CO is adsorbed as NiC, which is reversibly again decomposed into C and Ni.  Reaction (3) is the simple catalytic decomposition of CO on the least-active centers.