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8614776 
Journal Article 
147. The thermal decomposition of phosphine by tungsten and molybdenum 
Melville, HW; Roxburgh, HL 
1933 
Yes 
Journal of the Chemical Society
ISSN: 0368-1769 
586-595 
English 
The decomposition of phosphine has been studied on the surface of tungsten and molybdenum filaments at pressures from 0.01 to 300 mm. Reaction velocity is measurable at about 500°. On tungsten, the order of the reaction is nearly unity and is not much affected by pressure. On molybdenum, the decomposition is unimolecular at low pressures but becomes of zero order as the pressure is increased. The heat of adsorption of the phosphine has been calculated from the temperature coefficient of the reaction at high and at low pressures. The products of the reaction are red phosphorus and hydrogen. Molecular hydrogen has no effect. These reactions have been compared with the corresponding ammonia reactions. A simple method of correcting for end losses in a hot filament is described.