Abstract: A method for decomposing hydrogen peroxide which comprises contacting the hydrogen peroxide with a catalyst having a surface consisting of a mixture of ruthenium with at least one metal of the group consisting of iridium and platinum in which the ruthenium is about 20 to about 70 atom percent of said metals.

Abstract: 1. A catalyst for hydrazine decomposition consisting essentially of a carrier having a pore volume of at least 0.1 cubic centimeters per gram and a specific surface area, measured in square meters per gram, equal to 195 (C.sub.p + 0.013 + 0.736 V.sub.p) where C.sub.p is the specific heat capacity of the carrier at about 25.degree. C in calories per gram per degree and V.sub.p is the pore volume of the carrier in cubic centimeters per gram and metal of the group consisting of iridium, and mixtures consisting of iridium and ruthenium deposited on said carrier in an amount between 20% and about 40% by weight of the catalyst and distributed through the pores thereof in discrete particles sufficiently separated from each other so that they do not sinter or fuse together when the catalyst is at hydrazine decomposition temperature.

Abstract: This invention relates to the catalytic decomposition of hydrazine, catalysts useful for this decomposition and other reactions, and to reactions in hydrogen atmospheres generally using carbon-containing catalysts.