Abstract: | The kinetics of ethane oxidation was studied at 320, 340, 353 and 380°C, mixture composition 2 C2H6 + 1 O2, and total pressure 609 torr. It was found that at 320°C CH2O and CH3CHO were branching agents. A series of experiments was conducted on 2C2H6 + O2 oxidation in the presence of 0.7% 14C-labeled ethylene. The ethylene oxide was found to form only from C2H4, formaldehyde formed from C2H4 and C2H6; and CH3CHO, C2H5OH, and CH3OH formed only from ethane. The formation rates of C2H4, C2H4O, and CH2O were calculated by the kinetic tracer method. At 320°C the fraction of oxygen-containing products formed from C2H4 was 16–18%, and at 353 and 380°C it was 30–40%. |