Foam: Imparting Structure to Heterogeneous Catalysis

Ceramic and metallic foams have been the subject of research for decades due to their unique and useful properties. The application of foam as a catalytic support is being explored especially for highly endoor exothermic reactions due to better heat transfer. The most widely used catalyst preparation method by wash-coating for foam-based catalysts has several drawbacks. Novel preparation methods are reported in the literature. This article provides a critical review of applications of solid foam in heterogeneous catalysis and performance comparison with conventional catalysts, preparation techniques of foam-based catalysts and methods for performance modeling. The gaps in current research and recommendations to expand the use of foam-based catalysts to a wider class of reactions by applying innovative methods outlined in the literature are identified. Perspectives on expanding the modeling with solid foam-based catalysts are also presented.

Automated summary

This article critically reviews the applications of solid foam in heterogeneous catalysis and compares its performance with conventional catalysts. The preparation techniques of foam-based catalysts and methods for performance modeling are also discussed. The article identifies the gaps in current research and recommends expanding the use of foam-based catalysts to a wider class of reactions by applying innovative methods. Perspectives on expanding the modeling with solid foam-based catalysts are also presented.