AVS 56th International Symposium & Exhibition
    In Situ Microscopy and Spectroscopy: Interfacial and Nanoscale Science Topical Conference Thursday Sessions
       Session IS+AS-ThA

Invited Paper IS+AS-ThA3
Chemical Imaging of Catalytic Solids at the Micron- and Nanoscale

Thursday, November 12, 2009, 2:40 pm, Room C4

Session: In-Situ Microscopy and Spectroscopy: Surface Reactions
Presenter: E. de Smit, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Authors: B.M. Weckhuysen, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
E. de Smit, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Correspondent: Click to Email
Most characterization studies of catalytic solids focus on ensemble-averaged measurements, assuming that catalytic solids are spatially homogeneous materials when placed in a reactor. Structure-performance relationships can then be obtained by relating activity and selectivity with a multitude of spectroscopic signatures. However, these signatures are not necessarily identical across e.g. a catalyst grain or fixed bed reactor. Detailed knowledge on these spatial heterogeneities is required to better understand reaction and deactivation mechanism. This keynote lecture discusses the potential of spectroscopic methods for chemical imaging spatial heterogeneities within catalytic solids at the micron- and nanoscale. Special emphasis will be on the use of in situ Scanning Transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), UV-Vis microscopy, synchrotron IR microscopy, Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) microscopy and (confocal) fluorescence microscopy.  Two showcases will be discussed, namely Fe-based Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) and H-ZSM-5 zeolites, catalyzing the oligomerisation of styrene and methanol to hydrocarbons. For the latter showcase, large coffin-shaped H-ZSM-5 crystals have been studied.