TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Course description and aims

The instructor in this course will first explain the three functions of catalysts (activity, selectivity, and stability) with example reactions to give students an understanding of what a catalyst is. Next, the instructor will describe the structure, preparation, and characterization of porous materials such as zeolite, explaining their "molecular sieve" and "cation exchange" properties. As to intermetallic compounds, he will first describe their difference from usual alloys, then explain their peculiar bulk properties such as shape memory, superconductivity, and hydrogen storage. Further, the instructor will explain methods for preparing nano-size particles of intermetallic compounds, as well as the fact that they possess high activity and selectivity for various reactions.

Student learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to understand the basic functions of catalysts (activity, selectivity, and stability). They will have a deeper understanding of the surface of nanoparticles by learning about the structure, preparation methods, and physical properties of zeolite and intermetallic compounds. A further goal is for students to understand that catalyses by these nano-particles are different from those by pure metal particles and have knowledge of surface structure and physical properties necessary to accelerate only a certain chemical reaction.
[Theme] The first half of this course uses zeolite as an example and students will learn subjects such as the formation mechanism of solid acids, the structure of Brønsted acid sites, cation exchange properties, and the organic reactions catalyzed by acidic catalysts. In the second half, students will learn the structure, physical properties, and synthesis of intermetallic compound nano-particles and their catalysis for hydrogenation–dehydrogenation, reduction–oxidation, and other reactions in comparison with those of pure metals.

Keywords

catalyst, zeolite, intermetallic compound, alloy

Competencies that will be developed

Class flow

This course consists of explanations based on slides.

Course schedule/Required learning

Textbook(s)

None

Reference books, course materials, etc.

None

Assessment criteria and methods

Report of a paper about catalysis research.

Related courses

• CHM.B335 ： Chemistry of Solids

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

Only for students who attended the same class in 2014 and failed to get credit.