Kinetics of Catalytic Reactions

This textbook contains all the information needed for graduate students or industrial researchers to design kinetic experiments involving heterogeneous catalysts, to characterize these catalysts, to acquire valid rate data, to verify the absence of mass (and heat) transfer limitations, to propose reaction models, to derive rate expressions based on these models and, finally, to assess the consistency of these rate equations.

Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms are derived and the former are used in Langmuir-Hinshelwood (and Hougen-Watson) models, as well as reaction sequences without a rate-determining step, to obtain rate expressions on uniform surfaces. In addition, rate equations based on non-uniform (Temkin-type) surfaces are examined as an alternative approach. The most recent technique to calculate heats of adsorption and activation barriers on metal surfaces, the BOC-MP approach, is discussed in detail. Methods to measure metal surface areas and crystallite sizes using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and various chemisorption techniques are discussed. Different experimental techniques to determine the influence of mass transfer limitations, especially within the pores of a catalyst, are reviewed in detail, with a particular emphasis on liquid-phase reactions.

Many illustrations of these and other topics are provided along with numerous problems and a Solutions Manual for instructors. This book will be applicable to any graduate course in chemical engineering, chemistry or materials science that involves kinetics of catalytic reactions, including those catalyzed by enzymes.