by F. Peter Boer Abstract Commercial R&D, of which industrial catalysis is one branch, is typically a high-risk investment with a deferred payoff. It is mistaken to view it as a cost. And, as with other high-risk investments, returns can be extremely attractive. The value-creating potential for investment in industrial catalysis depends on two basic factors: technical opportunity and commercial opportunity. When both are aligned prospects are excellent.

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Samples of Co-MCM-41 with different pore diameters have been synthesized using organic templates with different alkyl chain lengths. The reducibility of cobalt in these highly stable samples was investigated by TPR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We have found that the reducibility correlates strongly with the pore diameter of the MCM-41, with the cobalt incorporated in the smaller pore MCM-41 being more resistant to complete reduction. It is

Application of the generalized 2D correlation analysis to a series of in situ XANES spectra enabled the determination of additional useful information not readily available from the conventional spectra. In addition to the changes in the intensity of the white line and in the pre-edge feature, readily observable in the regular spectra, the generalized 2D correlation analysis clearly evidenced an otherwise imperceptible shift in the main edge energy

Cobalt silicate was studied as a model catalyst to seek an understanding of why Co-MCM-41 catalyst is not active for single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) upon treatment at high temperature. Cobalt orthosilicate was formed during high-temperature pretreatment of Co-MCM-41 (at 900 C) in an oxidizing environment. Cobalt silicate did not produce any carbon species during the first reaction cycle because the high thermal stability of cobalt silicate did

We report flexible synthesis of group III-nitride nanowires and nanostructures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) via a catalytic vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. Supersaturation and surface stoichiometry strongly influence the stability of liquid droplets and growth selectivity. To facilitate and sustain the VLS growth, indium catalyst is introduced based on thermodynamic consideration. The employment of mesoporous molecular

The mechanisms controlling the reduction of cobalt and the growth of metallic cobalt clusters in Co-MCM-41 catalysts at different stages in the process of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) synthesis were investigated both by in-situ and ex-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We have found that prereduction of the catalyst in hydrogen at temperatures below 700 C does not reduce the cobalt ions to metallic cobalt, but removes hydroxyl groups and

The influence of the CO pressure and of the duration of catalyst exposure to CO was systematically investigated with respect to the carbon yield, selectivity, and diameter uniformity of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) produced by CO disproportionation over Co-MCM-41 catalysts. The SWNT were characterized by Raman and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, while the state of the catalyst and the size of the metallic cobalt clusters were investigated

Nanotubular structures composed of layered graphite sheets or other layered materials have been studied intensely by both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In this paper, we will show how graphite structures, that are inherent to the production process of the amorphous carbon support films, used for both SEM and TEM studies can be easily mistaken for the actual sample structures. We will further report that these artifacts appear in