Abstract
Thermal decomposition of supported magnesium formate has been studied by gas chromatography. The reaction paths of decomposition of supported magnesium formate depend on the nature of the supports. For Mg(HCO2)2/HZSM‐5, the zeolite behaves as a dehydration catalyst to give CO and H2O at lower temperatures; when the zeolite is modified by phosphorus, the methanation reaction will be partly restrained. In the case of Mg(HCO2)2/AC, strong adsorption of CO2 leads to the formation of the shoulder peak of CO2 at higher temperatures, however, CH4 disappears after modified by phosphorus. For Mg(HCO2)2/Al2O3, the dehydrogenation of HCO2− takes place on the surface of Al2O3. The decomposition of Mg(HCO2)2 on SiO2 in hydrogen yields two peaks of CO and only one appears after modified by phosphorus. When Mg(HCO2)2 decomposes on MgO, the first peak of CO2 arises from the reaction of surface Mg2+ with HCO2− from dissociated Mg(HCO2)2.