Heterogeneous Catalysis

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

The lectures will cover in detail methods for catalyst preparation, characterisation (surface and spectroscopic methods) and application, with illustrations from current industrial processes. We will focus on practical aspects, petrochemistry and the synthesis of bulk chemicals, which make up more than 90% by volume of the chemical industry worldwide. Special attention will be given to zeolites and other solid acids and bases, as well as to structure/activity relationships and mechanisms of gas/solid and liquid/solid catalytic reactions.

The lectures will be interspaced with a work assignment in which groups of students will be assigned a case study of an industrial catalytic process. They will prepare a short written overview of the chemistry and the industrial implications, as well as a 15-minute presentation.

The course will include several guest lectures on specialised subjects: Industrial catalyst design, Scale-up, Reactor design, and Industrial catalysis R&D. 

Note: This year I was planning on using a new and updated course textbook, Innovation Management in Sustainable Chemistry, (chapters 4,6, and 7 and parts of chapters 1 & 2), Wiley-VCH, 2026, ISBN 978-3-527-35451-1. However, it looks like the book will only be available in the middle of January 2026. If so, we can still use the old textbook, Catalysis: Concepts and Green Applications, and I will add more new material on Canvas.

Study materials

Literature

• G. Rothenberg, Innovation Management in Sustainable Chemistry, (chapters 4,6, and 7 and parts of chapters 1 & 2), Wiley-VCH, 2026, ISBN 978-3-527-35451-1.

• G. Rothenberg, Catalysis: Concepts and Green Applications, 2nd edition, (mainly chapter 4 and parts of chapter 1), Wiley-VCH, 2017, ISBN 978-3-527-34305-8.

Objectives

• Gaining in-depth knowledge on the synthesis, characterisation and main industrial applications of solid catalysts, as well as the challenges that face researchers in the field today.
• Participating in active disucssions both in class and in groups in the self-study sessions and gaining experience in analysing complex problems.
• Honing the ability to extract information from online sources.
• Learning how to solve problems as a team.
• Jointly preparing a presentation and a report.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Seminar

Lectures and self-study, group work assignment in writing plus presentation.

Learning activities

Attendance

This programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (TER part B).

Assessment

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Contact information

Coordinator

• prof. dr. Gadi Rothenberg