Recent advance in catalysis for solving energy and environmental problems

Recent advances in catalysis for solving the energy and environmental problems are summarized. For these purposes, rapid conversion and selective reaction even under conditions deviating extremely from reaction stoichiometry must be indispensable requisites. In order to realize these requisites, changes in the state of catalyst surface during the reaction were studied, and the catalyst structures on which the optimum reaction performance occurs were determined. An ultra-rapid reforming of methane to syngas with a space–time yield (STY) of 25 000 mol/l h was achieved by using a Rh-modified Ni–Ce₂O₃–Pt catalyst in which the Rh played the role of portholes for hydrogen spillover and prevents coke deposition on the catalyst surface. As a result, a stable state of the catalyst and the high reaction rate were exhibited. A new catalyst composed of Cu–Zn–Cr–Al–Ga oxides modified with supported Pd exerted a high activity with a high STY of methanol, 6700 g/l h. The catalyst components, Pd and Ga, controlled the reduction state of the catalyst surface by their role on normal and inverse spillover of hydrogen, respectively. The methanol thus produced was then totally converted selectively on a metallosilicate catalyst containing Ga or Fe into an aromatics-lean gasoline using an STY of 1860 g/l h. Finally, non-linear reaction mechanism is used to explain the elimination of NO on metallosilicate catalysts under O₂-excess conditions.