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Identifying and avoiding dead ends in the characterization of heterogeneous catalysts at the gas–solid interface

Nature Catalysis volume 6, pages 873–884 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

The goal of catalyst characterization is to understand the structure and properties of a catalytic material and how they ultimately affect catalytic performance. However, pitfalls in the design of characterization experiments can impede their successful interpretation and the acquisition of relevant insights. Reducing the complexity of characterization experiments through simplified model conditions and samples causes gaps between the characterization experiment and the applied catalytic process. These gaps have been the subject of debate for decades. However, often too little consideration is given to these aspects, and correlations between the actual catalytic process and models should be made with great caution. In this Perspective, we discuss the intense influence of the catalytic reaction, the catalyst structure and the applied conditions on each other. Shedding light on the general gaps that exist in the characterization of heterogeneous catalysis has allowed us to establish a set of guidelines that may ultimately lead to the successful determination of structure–performance relationships.

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Fig. 1: Differences in the characterization of heterogeneous catalysis of different complexity.
Fig. 2: Surface reactions in Langmuir–Hinshelwood approximation.
Fig. 3: Correlation of spectroscopic and catalytic data.
Fig. 4: Oscillating catalyst structures.
Fig. 5: Structure and kinetic dependence on the applied pressure and cell design.
Fig. 6: Gaps in our understanding of heterogeneous catalysis at the gas–solid interface.

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Acknowledgements

A.B. and J.A.v.B. acknowledge the SNSF project 200021_178943 for financial support. We thank M. Schönberg for her comments on the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Arik Beck, Vladimir Paunović & Jeroen A. van Bokhoven

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

    Arik Beck

  3. Laboratory for Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland

    Jeroen A. van Bokhoven

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A.B. and J.A.v.B. conceptualized and wrote the first draft of the paper. A.B., V.P. and J.A.v.B. conceptualized and prepared the figures. V.P. revised the initial draft and concept. All authors contributed to the final revisions of the paper.

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Correspondence to Arik Beck or Jeroen A. van Bokhoven.

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Beck, A., Paunović, V. & van Bokhoven, J.A. Identifying and avoiding dead ends in the characterization of heterogeneous catalysts at the gas–solid interface. Nat Catal 6, 873–884 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-023-01027-x

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