Production of Industrial Catalysts

Summary

After an introduction dealing with some basics of catalytic reactions, it is argued that solid catalysts can be separated relatively easily from the reaction products. The constraints imposed on catalysts to be used in industrial fixed bed reactors are subsequently dealt with. The requirements of restricted pressure drop and a sufficiently extensive active surface area per unit volume call for the use of (highly) porous catalyst bodies. Since most catalytically active materials sinter rapidly under the conditions of the thermal pretreatment or the catalytic reaction, small particles of the active component must be stabilized by application onto a thermostable support.

The different types of supported catalysts are discussed as well as different procedures to produce supported catalysts. Reaction of the support with the active precursor during deposition as well as during thermal pretreatment is dealt with.