Development of sustainable catalysts through rational design

One of the seventeen sustainable development goals concerns sustainable consumption and production.

The production of chemicals is responsible for 35 % of the world´s GDP, and heterogeneous catalysis is the most sustainable way of synthesizing chemicals.

Heterogeneous catalysts are typically developed using a trial-and-error approach and consist of active metal nanoparticles on an oxide support.

Heterogeneous catalysts are stable and have high recyclability but not always the same desired selectivity that can be obtained with homogeneous catalysts.

The search for new catalysts with the combined properties of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts has therefore gained attention in the past years.

The focus has mainly been on tailoring the properties of the catalytically active particles.This research project aims to combine nanoscale processing and organic chemistry to develop new types of rationally designed catalysts, where the properties of both the catalytically active particles and the support are tailored.

The designed catalysts will be evaluated for partial hydrogenation of alkynes, one of the most critical industrial processes conducted on large scales to produce materials, binders, fragrances, and food supplements.

To further rationally tailor the properties of the designed catalysts, the knowledge of the atomic scale mechanisms behind the reactions will be increased by following the reactions in situ with ambient pressure XPS.