Heterogeneous Catalysts

The discovery of new catalysts is often a challenging but highly rewarding task that requires significant amount of trial‐and‐error and optimization (recalling the accomplishments of Alwin Mittasch in discovering the ammonia and methanol synthesis catalysts), even with some high degree of rational design approach. To some extent, it is inevitable because the range of optimum performance is at times quite narrow especially for multicomponent catalysts. Some of these tasks can be alleviated by employing advanced computational screening techniques to streamline the search for targeted catalysts. The coupling of physical screening with machine learning is another highly anticipated technique for the discovery of new and better catalysts. In a way or another, the advancement of computational catalyst design helps to push the boundary of the synthesis techniques in identifying new active sites. This may involve the synthesis of crystal phases or alloys that did not previously exist, new pore topologies, new crystal facets orientation, the engineered spatial deposition of two or more active sites, the creation of particular defects adjacent to the active site, etc.

One may question if it would be possible to move away from the use of precious metals, which, as mentioned, appear to be the favored active sites in many heterogeneous reactions. There is certainly some progress being made in carbon‐based and 2D catalysts, as well as those searching for light transition metal alternatives or the creation of SAC sites of the precious metals. An underlying consideration that often arises is whether the new catalyst solutions are economically feasible, not only from the synthesis point of view but whether the reaction output (or earnings) per cost of catalysts is justifiable to the overall chemical process. This includes the environmental costs in the removal of unwanted byproducts when using less selective catalysts and the disposal (or recyclability) of spent catalysts with toxic elements, e.g., chromium. By any means, a truly modern design of catalysts should as much as possible circumvent the production of byproducts (within the bound of thermodynamics) and the use of toxic elements.

As the value of catalysts changes over time depending on the importance of reactions, one needs to be visionary in terms of the type of catalysts to design and their target functions that cannot yet be achieved with existing catalysts. Among the more recent reactions of interest are those that involve the production of sustainable fuels and food (recalling the Nitrogen Problem in the 20th century), mitigation of global warming and climate change, and the abatement of microplastics and new micropollutants lurking in the environment.

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