6 EC
Semester 1, period 3
5254HECA6Y
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 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. Each group will prepare a short written overview of the chemistry and the industrial implications, as well as a 15-minute presentation.
G. Rothenberg, Catalysis: Concepts and Green Applications; (Chapters 1 and 4), Wiley-VCH, 2nd edition, 2017, ISBN 978-3-527-34305-8.
Heterogeneous catalyst discovery using 21st century tools: A tutorial. E.J. Ras and G. Rothenberg, RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 5963-5974. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C3RA45852K (Open Access)
A. Jess and P. Wasserscheid, Chemical Technology; (Chapters 2 and 5), Wiley-VCH, 2013, ISBN 978-3-527-30446-2.
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. Understanding the economical importance and the societal relevance of solid-catalysed processes.
Lectures and discussion; work assignment in writing plus presentation.
|
Activity |
Number of hours |
|
Lectures and discussion |
30 |
|
Presentation symposium |
4 |
|
Final Exam |
2 |
|
Self-study (at university) |
24 |
|
Self-study (at home) |
16 |
The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).
Additional requirements for this course:
Additional requirements for this course:
Attendance to lectures and active participation in the discussion accounts for 10% of the final course mark.
| Item and weight | Details | Remarks |
|
Final grade | ||
|
20% Group written assignment plus presentation | All members of a given group receive the same score. It is up to the group members themselves to organise and divide the workload for preparing the written assignment and the presentation. | |
|
70% Final written exam | The final exam tests your knowledge and understanding of heterogeneous catalysis. You may use only paper, pen/pencil and a calculator. Several exam papers from previous years are available on Bb, you are encouraged to try and solve those. | |
|
10% Attendance and participation in lectures | Active participation in lectures is an important part of this MSc course. The course alternates between frontal lectures and self-study sessions |
This is an elective MSc course. It is intended for graduate students in chemistry who already have a background in catalysis and wish to learn more about heterogeneous catalysis and its applications. Catalysis combines inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. We assume that all students come to the course with a good knowledge of all three subjects, at least at BSc level.
Experience shows that bright students who invest time in the lectures and the self-study sessions do well in the exam. Students who only "need the credits to complete their degree" are encouraged to look for their credits elsewhere.
The resit exam has the same format as the final exam.
Onderstaande opdrachten komen aan bod in deze cursus:
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.uva.nl/plagiarism
The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.