The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of carbon blacks

The catalytic activity of carbon blacks for the decomposition of aqueous hydrogen peroxide under given conditions of time, temperature and concentration depends on surface alkalinity and surface area of the blacks. A small fraction only of the total oxygen evolved in the process gets chemisorbed by the black provided the latter is not presaturated with oxygen. Chemisorption of oxygen does not appear to be an essential step in the progress of the reaction.