Characterization Of Catalytic Materials

Heterogeneous catalysis has undergone a revolutionary change in the past two decades due to the development of sophisticated characterization methods that provide fundamental information about the catalyst bulk structures, surfaces, and their properties. For the first time, these characterization methods have allowed researchers to "see" the surfaces of catalytic materials, their bulk structures (crystalline as well as amorphous phases), the influence of the process conditions on the catalytic material, as well as the effect of different synthesis methods. This new information has tremendously advanced our understanding of catalytic materials and their properties. These characterization methods have become our "eyes" and are indispensible in the development of new catalytic materials. It is hard to conceive of a modern heterogeneous catalysis activity, be it research or manufacturing, without the aid of these new characterization techniques.