Boudouard reaction

However, the standard enthalpy of the Boudouard reaction becomes less negative with increasing temperature,[2] as shown to the side.

The thermodynamic activity of carbon may be calculated for a CO/CO2 mixture by knowing the partial pressure of each species and the value of Keq.

For instance, in a high temperature reducing environment, such as that created for the reduction of iron oxide in a blast furnace or the preparation of carburizing atmospheres,[5] carbon monoxide is the stable oxide of carbon.

When a gas rich in CO is cooled to the point where the activity of carbon exceeds one, the Boudouard reaction can take place.

The reaction is named after the French chemist, Octave Leopold Boudouard (1872–1923), who investigated this equilibrium in 1905.

[7][8][9][10] In graphite production, catalysts used are molybdenum, magnesium, nickel, iron and cobalt,[7][8] while in carbon nanotube production, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, iron and Ni-MgO catalysts are used.