Preparation of heterogeneous catalysts

The preparation of heterogeneous catalysts has been for many years a dynamic field of sub-nanotechnology and remains so nowadays. The approach to preparation must be examined in function of the specific demands concerning (i) activity and (ii) selectivity, that both depend on the arrangement of atoms at a scale smaller than 0.02 nm. Adequate access of reactants to the surface must be provided. Most catalysts are used in the form of pellets or cylinders obtained by pressing, extrusion or other techniques. This implies a control of texture at dimension scales extending from a fraction of a nanometer to several millimetres (and sometimes more). A third demand (iii) is resistance to ageing. In particular, stability at relatively high temperatures is necessary. The strategy adopted in the majority of cases is to start from a material that is homogeneous in composition at the Angstrom scale, generally a liquid or a solid of complex composition, frequently amorphous. A general objective is to locate the different constituting atoms at precise positions. The main difficulty is to transform the starting precursor into a highly porous solid without segregation of different elements that would produce tiny parts with different properties. The specific approach to catalyst preparation is based on the general concepts used for controlling the reactivity of solids. Typical methods of general use will be examined. Chemical bonds of practically any kind can retain the elements constituting the future catalyst at the position they have in the precursor. The so-called 'citrate process' and its variants are of wide application. More elaborate approaches start from molecules or polymers associating the necessary elements.