Triatomic Hydrogen. Ii

Abstract

Since our first paper1 Venkataramaiah reported3 the independent discovery of the active form of hydrogen, distinguished by its ability to reduce potassium permanganate solution rapidly at room temperature. He produced it first in the alternating current corona, but made the interesting observation that it is produced in measurable quantities when oxygen is exploded in an excess of hydrogen. Since all other methods of its preparation, including those reported below, are dependent on prolonged and intense ionization of the hydrogen, this preparation by explosion is of importance in determining the mechanism of its formation.New Methods of Preparation Siemens Ozonizer.-In view of the read)r formation of the new gas by means of the electrical discharge at 10,000 to 20,000 volts and a current of 4 to 25 milli-amperes, both at atmospheric pressure and at a pressure of 4 to 8 cm. of mercury, there is little new in its successful preparation in the usual quantities of about 0.01% by means of the ordinary Siemens glass tube ozonizer, with external tin-foil electrodes. This method is simple and reliable. It is particularly effective at the temperature of boiling liquid ammonia. This method failed, however, when the ozonizer was immersed in liquid air, probably because of the increased dielectric strength of the glass walls. When metallic electrodes were inserted through the walls of the tube, the low temperature did not prevent the activation.In this, as in all the work, the hydrogen was prepared and purified as described in the previous paper. In all cases the test for activation was the formation of hydrogen sulfide in passage of the gas over cold sulfur. In every case blank tests were made to show that the hydrogen itself, without the ionizing agent, did not attack the sulfur.

A Controversial Molecule: The Early History of Triatomic Hydrogen

“…His student Landauer wrote his PhD thesis on this subject, probably the first ever such thesis (Landauer, 1922). In another work the two Chicago chemists reviewed methods of preparation and the experimental evidence for the new gas (Wendt and Landauer, 1922). The most consistent of the chemical tests for the existence of a relatively long‐lived active hydrogen relied on the formation of hydrogen sulfide on a deposit of sulfur powder; the produced hydrogen sulfide was typically identified by its reaction with lead acetate on strips of paper.…”

Chemical Reactions at Surfaces.

“…Several years ago a number of publications (41,42) dealt with the production of "active" hydrogen by various methods of activation, included in which were methods involving the use of catalytic agents, notably platinum. In many of these cases claims for the production of active hydrogen were made under circumstances which seemed to violate the laws of thermodynamics.…”