Route to large-pore catalysts

Many commercially important reactions are slow or virtually impossible under normal conditions. Scientists have elucidated the chemical pathways to significantly improved catalysts to speed industrial-scale production of a wealth of important chemicals.

Anyone who has taken a basic chemistry class – or even dabbled a bit in the kitchen – knows that many reactions can be sped by heating or stirring. However, significant increases in reactions to produce chemicals on an industrially relevant scale typically require the use of catalysts. Environmentally friendly microporous zeolite-type materials have increasingly replaced harsher catalysts in chemical synthesis, particularly petrochemical production. Their synthesis typically requires the addition of structure-directing agents (SDAs) to guide crystallisation.

Further details: Route to large-pore catalysts