The catalytic action of copper. Part IV.—The periodic variation of the activity with temperature of reduction

The purpose of this work was to study the effect of temperature of reduction on the activity of the copper film catalyst produced by reduction from oxide, and on the temperature coefficient of catalytic reaction occurring on its surface. The method adopted was described in Parts I, II, and III of this work. Considerable modifications were made in the details of the apparatus, these being directed chiefly towards increasing the accuracy of the method, the life of the catalyst, and towards obtaining, as far as possible, a rigorous demonstration that the temperature coefficient observed was not subject to errors due to the adsorption and desorption of catalyst “poisons,” or to the sintering of the surface.