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  • Review Article
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Spatial and temporal exploration of heterogeneous catalysts with synchrotron radiation

Nature Reviews Materials volume 3, pages 324–340 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Solid catalysts are the workhorses that convert feedstock molecules into fuels, chemicals and materials. Solid catalysts are highly complex, porous, multi-elemental and often hierarchically structured materials. Scientists are therefore confronted with a formidable challenge to understand the functioning of solid catalysts and, based on this knowledge, to design and make materials with superior performance and overall stability. In this Review, we summarize the latest developments in the spatial and temporal characterization of solid catalysts using synchrotron radiation to uncover their structure and function. Attention is focused on applications using either X-rays or infrared light available from synchrotron radiation sources. In these applications, microscopy and microspectroscopy are used to study heterogeneous catalysts under working conditions and at different length scales, more specifically, from the level of a microreactor down to a single catalyst particle. Finally, we offer a perspective on what instrumental developments at synchrotron radiation sources may bring to realize the dream of recording a molecular movie of a solid catalyst at high temperature and pressure.

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Fig. 1: Characterizing solid catalysts in space, time and function.
Fig. 2: Timeline showing key developments in synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray microscopy of solid catalysts.
Fig. 3: Timeline showing key developments in in situ and operando synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray spectroscopy of solid catalysts combined with other spectroscopic methods.
Fig. 4: Operando X-ray microspectroscopy of Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalysts.
Fig. 5: Synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray microspectroscopy of fluid catalytic cracking catalysts.
Fig. 6: Examples of synchrotron-based infrared microspectroscopy and nanospectroscopy of solid catalysts.
Fig. 7: Future synchrotron-radiation-based operando microspectroscopy of solid catalysts.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by a Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) VIDI Grant to F.M. and a grant from the NWO Gravitation programme, Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion (MCEC), to B.M.W.

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  1. Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

    Florian Meirer & Bert M. Weckhuysen

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F.M. and B.M.W. contributed equally to the concept of the article, researching the literature, writing the text and preparing the figures.

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Correspondence to Bert M. Weckhuysen.

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Meirer, F., Weckhuysen, B.M. Spatial and temporal exploration of heterogeneous catalysts with synchrotron radiation. Nat Rev Mater 3, 324–340 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-018-0044-5

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