Heterogeneous catalysis on solids of gases diffusing through a liquid layer, studied by inverse gas chromatography.

Physicochemical parameters for heterogeneous catalytic reactions when the catalytic bed was under a liquid phase have been determined, using a non-linear adsorption isotherm by the reversed-flow version of inverse gas chromatography (RF-GC). The mathematical analysis developed in heterogeneous catalysis, mass transfer across gas-liquid boundaries, and diffusion coefficients of gases in liquids was associated with a non-linear adsorption isotherm to find the relevant equations pertaining to the problem. These equations were then used to calculate the adsorption/desorption rate constant, the rate constant for the first-order catalytic reaction and the equilibrium constant for the non-linear adsorption isotherm. The diffusion coefficients of the reactant in the liquid and gaseous phases and the partition coefficients for the distribution of the reactant between the gaseous and liquid phase were also determined.