Catalysis

Facts and Figures about Catalysts

Life cycle on the earth
– Catalysts (enzyme) participates most part of life cycle
e.g. forming, growing, decaying
– Catalysis contributes great part in the processes of converting sun energy to various
other forms of energies
e.g. photosynthesis by plant CO2 + H2O=HC + O2
– Catalysis plays a key role in maintaining our environment

Chemical Industry
– ca. $2 bn annual sale of catalysts
– ca. $200 bn annual sale of the chemicals that are related products
– 90% of chemical industry has catalysis-related processes
– Catalysts contributes ca. 2% of total investment in a chemical process

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 What is Catalysis
 Catalysis
– Catalysis is an action by catalyst which takes part in a chemical reaction process and
can alter the rate of reactions, and yet itself will return to its original form without
being consumed or destroyed at the end of the reactions
Three key aspects of catalyst action
 taking part in the reaction
• it will change itself during the process by interacting with other reactant/product
molecules
 altering the rates of reactions
• in most cases the rates of reactions are increased by the action of catalysts;
however, in some situations the rates of undesired reactions are selectively
suppressed
 Returning to its original form
• After reaction cycles a catalyst with exactly the same nature is ‘reborn’
• In practice a catalyst has its lifespan - it deactivates gradually during use
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 Action of Catalysts
 Catalysis
action - Reaction kinetics and
mechanism
Catalyst action leads to the rate of a reaction to change.
This is realised by changing the course of reaction (compared to non-catalytic reaction)
– Forming complex with reactants/products, controlling the rate of elementary steps in
the process. This is evidenced by the facts that uncatalytic

• The reaction activation energy is altered catalytic

energy
• The intermediates formed are different from reactant
those formed in non-catalytic reaction product
• The rates of reactions are altered (both reaction process
desired and undesired ones)

– Reactions proceed under less demanding conditions

• Allow reactions occur under a milder conditions, e.g. at lower temperatures for those heat
sensitive materials
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 Definition of Catalyst
A substance that alters the reaction rate
of a particular chemical reaction
 chemically unchanged at the end of the
reaction
 2 classes : I) positive catalyst
==> increase the rate
II) negative catalyst (inhibitor)
==> decrease the rate
 How to change the rate of reaction???
 Catalysis
 By providing an alternative pathway (or
mechanism) with lower/ higher activation
energy.
Characteristics of catalysts
 The catalyst remains unchanged (in mass
and chemical composition ) in the reaction
(Activity of catalyst.)
 A small quantity of the catalyst is required.
e.g. One mole of colloid Pt catalyses
 The catalyst does not change the
equilibrium constant. But the equilibrium
approaches earlier.
Specificity of catalyst

 The catalyst is specific in nature. It means

by the change of catalyst, nature of the
products changes or specific catalyst for a
specific reaction.
Characteristics of catalysts

 The catalyst can not make impossible reaction to

occur and does not intiate a reaction.

 Catalyst Poison: There are certain substances

which decrease or destroy the activity of the
catalyst. Such substances are known as catalytic
poisons. E.g. arsenic destroys the catalytic activity
of the platinum catalyst in the manufacture of
sulphuric acid.
Characteristics of catalysts

 Catalyst Promoter: There are certain substances

which increase the activity of the catalyst. Such
substances are known as catalyst promoters e.g.
Mo acts as a promoter in the manufacture of
ammonia by Haber’s process.
 Ex.

 Ex. 2. In Bosch process of preparation of acts as a

promoter for catalyst . Catalyst Poison or
Promoter does not act like a catalyst.
Characteristics of catalysts

 The catalyst exhibits maximum activity at a

particular temperature which is known
as optimum temperature.
Catalysis
 For example,
Ea for the pathway with catalyst <
Ea for the pathway without catalyst
 Catalysis
 The reaction can then be speeded up by
increasing the fraction of molecules that have
energies in excess of the Ea for a reaction.

Ea2 Kinetic energy

Ea1
Theory of catalysis

 (1) Intermediate compound theory of

catalysis
 adsorption theory of catalysis
Intermediate compound theory
of catalysis
 According to this theory, the catalyst reacts
with one of the reactants to give an
intermediate, which reacts with another
reactant to yield products and the catalyst as
follows:
adsorption theory of catalysis

 The heterogeneous catalysis e.g. gaseous

reaction on a solid surface, is explained by
this theory as follows:
Adsorption theory

 Following four steps are involved in the

heterogeneous catalysis:
 (i)Diffusion of reactants at the surface of the
catalyst.
 (ii)Adsorption of reactants at the surface.
 (iii)Reaction of reactants at the surface.
 (iv)Desorption of products from the surface.
Types of Catalysts & Catalytic Reactions
 The types of catalysts
– Classification based on the its physical state, a catalyst can be
• gas
• liquid
• solid
– Classification based on the substances from which a catalyst is made
• Inorganic (gases, metals, metal oxides, inorganic acids, bases etc.)
• Organic (organic acids, enzymes etc.)
– Classification based on the ways catalysts work
• Homogeneous - both catalyst and all reactants/products are in the same phase (gas or liq)
• Heterogeneous - reaction system involves multi-phase (catalysts + reactants/products)
– Classification based on the catalysts’ action
• Acid-base catalysts
• Enzymatic
• Photocatalysis
• Electrocatalysis, etc.
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 Applications of Catalysis
 Industrial applications
Almost all chemical industries have one or more steps employing catalysts
– Petroleum, energy sector, fertiliser, pharmaceutical, fine chemicals …
Advantages of catalytic processes
– Achieving better process economics and productivity
• Increase reaction rates - fast
• Simplify the reaction steps - low investment cost
• Carry out reaction under mild conditions (e.g. low T, P) - low energy consumption
– Reducing wastes
• Improving selectivity toward desired products - less raw materials required, less unwanted
wastes
• Replacing harmful/toxic materials with readily available ones
– Producing certain products that may not be possible without catalysts
– Having better control of process (safety, flexible etc.)
– Encouraging application and advancement of new technologies and materials

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Applications of Catalysis

 Environmental applications
– Pollution controls in combination with industrial processes
• Pre-treatment - reduce the amount waste/change the composition of emissions
• Post-treatments - once formed, reduce and convert emissions
• Using alternative materials
…
– Pollution reduction
• gas - converting harmful gases to non-harmful ones
• liquid - de-pollution, de-odder, de-colour etc
• solid - landfill, factory wastes

 Other applications
– Catalysis and catalysts play one of the key roles in new technology development.

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 Types of Catalyst
1. Heterogeneous Catalyst
- catalyst with different phase as the
reactant
- usually solid state
e.g. decomposition of H2O2 with
MnO2 as catalyst
e.g. hydrogenation of ethene
(Ni as catalyst)
Heterogeneous Catalyst
provides an active reaction surface for reactant
==> reaction occurs with a lower Ea
are usually transition metal such as
Pt, Pd, V2O5 and Ni
2. Homogeneous Catalyst
- catalyst with the same phase as the
reactant
- usually in aqueous state
e.g. Oxidation of I- ion by S2O32-
with Fe3+ ion as catalyst
2I- + S2O82- ==> I2 + 2SO42-
2I- + 2Fe3+ ==> 2Fe2+ + I2
2Fe2+ + S2O82- ==> 2Fe3+ + 2SO42-
3. Autocatalysis
- the product in the reaction be the
catalyst of the reaction
- this product is called autocatalyst
- e.g. 2MnO4- + 16H+ + 5C2O42-
==> 2Mn2+ + 8H2O + 10CO2
Positive Catalysis

 The catalyst which increases the rate of

a chemical reaction is called positive
catalyst and the phenomenon is known as
positive catalysis
 Examples are
Negative catalysis

 The catalyst which decreases the rate of

reaction is called negative catalyst and
phenomenon is called negative catalysis
 Examples are
Acid catalysis
Base catalysis
A base catalyst increases the rate of the reaction by
removing a proton from the reaction

specific-base catalyzed dehydration

Enzyme catalysis

 Enzymes are Biological catalysts

 Enzymes control chemical reactions that
take place in the cytoplasm.
 Catalase in an example of an enzyme
made by living cells
Catalase

 The enzyme catalase breaks down

the waste substance hydrogen
peroxide into water and oxygen.

→
Catalase

 H2O2 O2 + H2O

Reactant Enzyme product

Properties of enzymes

 Speed up reactions.
 Made of protein.
 Are specific
 Not used up during the reaction
 Require optimum conditions at which
they work best
 At high temperature they become
denatured
Industrial Application of
Catalysts
A) Usage of Catalysts in Chemical
Industries
 Cost is always the greatest concerns of
manufacturers
 How can we get the highest yield of
product?
High temperature
High pressure

High Concentration
Industrial Application of
Catalysts
 Haber Process
3H2 + N2 ==> 2NH3 (Fe)

 Contact Process
2SO2 + O2 ==> 2SO3 (Pt/V2O5)

 Hydrogenation of C=C
(hardening of oil - vegetable oil to margarine)
CH2CH2 + H2 ==> CH3CH3 (Ni/Pd/Pt)
Thank You