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    Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide by Various Catalysts

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    KRAMER88
    This document describes an experiment to decompose hydrogen peroxide using different catalysts. Three reactions are set up using (1) iron(III) chloride as a homogeneous catalyst, (2) manganese dioxide as a heterogeneous catalyst, and (3) catalase enzyme from potatoes as a biological catalyst. Gas evolution and heat are observed with all three catalysts as the hydrogen peroxide decomposes. The mechanisms of decomposition are also explained, involving redox reactions of the catalysts in the homogeneous and enzymatic cases, and surface interactions in the heterogeneous case.

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    Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide by Various Catalysts

    Uploaded by

    KRAMER88
    801 views3 pages
    This document describes an experiment to decompose hydrogen peroxide using different catalysts. Three reactions are set up using (1) iron(III) chloride as a homogeneous catalyst, (2) manganese dioxide as a heterogeneous catalyst, and (3) catalase enzyme from potatoes as a biological catalyst. Gas evolution and heat are observed with all three catalysts as the hydrogen peroxide decomposes. The mechanisms of decomposition are also explained, involving redox reactions of the catalysts in the homogeneous and enzymatic cases, and surface interactions in the heterogeneous case.

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    This document describes an experiment to decompose hydrogen peroxide using different catalysts. Three reactions are set up using (1) iron(III) chloride as a homogeneous catalyst, (2) manganese dioxide as a heterogeneous catalyst, and (3) catalase enzyme from potatoes as a biological catalyst. Gas evolution and heat are observed with all three catalysts as the hydrogen peroxide decomposes. The mechanisms of decomposition are also explained, involving redox reactions of the catalysts in the homogeneous and enzymatic cases, and surface interactions in the heterogeneous case.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    801 views3 pages

    Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide by Various Catalysts

    Uploaded by

    KRAMER88
    This document describes an experiment to decompose hydrogen peroxide using different catalysts. Three reactions are set up using (1) iron(III) chloride as a homogeneous catalyst, (2) manganese dioxide as a heterogeneous catalyst, and (3) catalase enzyme from potatoes as a biological catalyst. Gas evolution and heat are observed with all three catalysts as the hydrogen peroxide decomposes. The mechanisms of decomposition are also explained, involving redox reactions of the catalysts in the homogeneous and enzymatic cases, and surface interactions in the heterogeneous case.

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    Decomposition of Hydrogen

    Peroxide by Various Catalysts

    Equipment:
    3 goblets
    measuring cylinders
    spatula
    (food grater
    200-mL Erlenmeyer flask
    cheese cloth or cotton tea filter
    beaker)

    Chemicals:
    hydrogen peroxide solution (6%)
    iron(III) chloride solution (0.1 M)
    manganese dioxide powder
    catalase solution (1%) or crude potato extract
    (peeled raw potato
    deonised water
    crushed ice)

    Safety:
    hydrogen peroxide solution (H2O2): Xn R22-41 S26-39
    manganese dioxide (MnO2): Xn R20/22 S25
    iron(III) chloride (FeCl3): Xn R22-38-41 S26-39

    Xn

    It is necessary to wear safety glasses and protective gloves, because every contact with
    eyes or skin should be avoided.

    Procedure:
    Preparation of crude potato extract: Approx. 20 g of peeled raw potato are finely grated by
    means of a food grater. The paste is scraped into a 200-mL Erlenmeyer flask and 25 mL
    ice-cooled deionized water are added. The flask is swirled in intervals for about 15 min.
    Subsequently, the suspension is filtered through a sheet of cheese cloth or a cotton tea
    filter into a chilled beaker.
    Procedure: 20 mL hydrogen peroxide solution are filled into each of the three goblets.
    Homogeneous catalysis: 2 mL iron(III) chloride solution are added to the first goblet.
    Heterogeneous catalysis: A spatula-tipfull of powdered manganese dioxide is added to the
    second goblet.
    Enzymatic catalysis: 1 mL catalase solution or alternatively 2 mL of the filtered clear potato
    extract are added to the third goblet.

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    Observation:
    Homogeneous catalysis: The colour of the solution changes from pale yellow to brownish
    orange. Additionally, a noticeable formation of gas can be observed after a while. The pale
    yellow colour returns together with the end of bubbling.
    Heterogeneous catalysis: A strong effervescence combined with the formation of fog can
    be observed (therefore, the experiment is also known as “genie in a bottle”). The liquid
    gets dark because of the finely dispersed black manganese dioxide and the goblet warms
    up considerably.
    Enzymatic catalysis: In the case of the catalase solution a strong evolution of gas takes
    places and the goblet gets warm. The reaction catalyzed by the catalase from potato
    extract is weaker and a distinct foam layer is formed.

    Explication:
    Hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution exhibits a strong tendency to decompose into
    water and oxygen (disproportionation):
    2 H2O2|w → 2 H2O|l + O2|g

    Σµ : -268.2 > -474.4 kG

    chemical drive A: +206.2 kG

    Necessary chemical potentials (T = 298 K, p = 101.3 kPa):

    Substance Chemical potential µ  [kG]


    H2O2|w -134.1
    H2O|l -237.2
    O2|g 0

    The decomposition rate at room temperature is, however, immeasurably small. But the
    rate can be appreciably increased by the addition of a catalyst.

    Fe3+ ions are an example for a homogeneous catalyst, i.e. the catalyst is in the same
    phase as the reaction mixture. The catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide can be
    essentially explained by two different mechanisms based on the mutual redox transition
    Fe(III)/Fe(V) (KREMER-STEIN mechanism) and Fe(III)/Fe(II) (HABER-WEISS mechanism),
    respectively.
    According to the mechanism proposed by KREMER and STEIN an intermediate oxygen
    complex of iron with oxidation number +V is primarily formed by the reaction of Fe3+ with
    H2O2. This complex reacts with another H2O2 molecule to water and oxygen thereby re-
    forming Fe3+.
    + H2O2
    Fe3+ + H2O2 R [FeIIIOOH]2+ + H+ R [Fe V O]3+ + H2O ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ → Fe3+ + 2 H2O + O2

    According to the mechanism proposed by HABER and WEISS the Fe3+ ions initiate a radical
    reaction, after which the chain reactions consume the hydrogen peroxide. This mechanism
    can explain the high reaction rates very well.
    Chain initiation: Fe3+ + H2O2 R [FeIIIOOH]2+ + H+ R Fe2+ + HOO· + H+
    Chain propagation: Fe2+ + H2O2 → Fe3+ + 2 OH·

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    Fe3+ + H2O2 + OH· → Fe3+ + HOO· + H2O → Fe2+ + H+ + O2 + H2O

    Mangan dioxide is an example for a heterogeneous catalyst, i.e. the phase of the catalyst
    is different from that of the reaction mixture. The surface of solid manganese dioxide
    provides a particulary favourable environment to catalyze the decomposition, though the
    mechanism is not understood very well. For increasing the surface area available for
    contact with the hydrogen peroxide solution a finely graded powder is used. The observed
    fog (the “genie”) is caused by condensing water vapour mixed with oxygen gas.

    Enzymatic catalysis takes an intermediate position, because enzymes are proteins, i.e.
    macromolecules with diameters between 10 and 100 nm, that are colloidally dispersed in
    solution and mostly much bigger than the substrate molecules. The cytoxin hydrogen
    peroxide is one of the by-products of many cellular reactions. Aerobic cells protect
    themselves against peroxide by the action of the enzyme catalase. Therefore, catalase is
    nearly ubiquitous among animal organisms, especially it is found in liver and red blood
    cells. But catalase also occurs in plant tissues, and is especially abundant in plant storage
    organs such as potato tubers, corms, and in the fleshy parts of fruits.
    The detailed structure of catalase differs from one organism to another, but the general
    quaternary structure is analogous to hemoglobin in that catalase is tetrameric and each
    polypeptide chain, composed of more than 500 amino acids, contains an iron-centered
    porphyrin ring. However, in contrast to hemoglobin, catalase utilizes Fe(III). This iron can
    formally be oxidized to Fe(V) in the oxidation-reduction cycle, but the processes at the
    active site of the enzyme are not understood very well. But the incorporation of the iron
    ions in the porphyrin and in the enzyme protein improves apparently their catalytic activity
    because the effect of catalase is much stronger than that of the iron ions in solution.

    Disposal:
    Hydrogen peroxide solutions can be disposed of down the drain with running water.
    Manganese dioxide can be reused after drying.

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