Methods for Preparation of Catalytic Materials

TLDR: In this paper, the authors provide a rationale for each reader to answer the following rhetorical questions: what are the properties which determine the performance of a catalytic material; how can these properties be introduced, developed, and/or improved during preparation?

Abstract: To establish guidelines for the development of a scientific basis for catalyst preparation is perhaps a very ambitious goal. One would re required first to answer the following rhetorical questions: what are the properties which determine the performance of a catalytic material; how can these properties be introduced, developed, and/or improved during preparation? The answer to these questions involves a comprehensive discussion of the theories of catalysis, which is beyond the scope of this review. The authors will attempt, instead, to provide a rationale for each reader to answer these questions on the basis of his/her own interests. They start the discussion by describing the fundamental steps in producing bulk catalysts and/or catalyst supports. The fundamental processes involved are those derived from traditional three-dimensional chemistry. The topic areas will include single-component and multicomponent metal oxides. Unsupported metallic catalysts are formed by transformations involving physical or chemical processes, and the preparation methods for this class of materials will be discussed next. Attention will then turn to the preparation of supported catalytic materials. The main topics to be discussed will be those related to the interaction between the support and the active phase when they are put together to generate the catalyst.more » In this approach, the authors exploit the virtually unexplored field of surface, or two-dimensional, physical chemistry. The materials considered include dispersed metals and alloys and composite oxides. 366 refs.« less