Recent Approaches in Mechanistic and Kinetic Studies of Catalytic Reactions Using SSITKA Technique

One of the most useful techniques to obtain valuable information on catalyzed heterogeneous reactions at, or near to, molecular level is the Steady-State Isotopic Transient Kinetic Analysis (SSITKA). Kinetic parameters of catalyst-surface reaction intermediates, such as concentration, site coverage, reactivity, and rate constants can be obtained and processed to provide valuable information about the reaction mechanism. This technique has been extensively tested in a wide range of different surface-catalyzed reactions, where the influence of different parameters on the intermediates has been studied (i.e., supports, active phases, particle size, addition of promoters). Progresses in the coupling of spectroscopic techniques and advanced modeling could greatly improve the understanding of the surface reaction mechanism and provide more reliable kinetic models. This review compiles the main goals achieved up to date in heterogeneous catalytic systems using SSITKA and analyzes the perspectives of this technique in the near future.