Research
The interdisciplinary Collaborative Research Centre 1441 aims at a holistic understanding of heterogeneous catalysts by linking the different length scales and catalyst complexity levels. Our scale-bridging approach connects three areas: (A) size-selected clusters and defined nanoparticles, (B) porous catalysts with noble metal particles of defined size on support oxides with oriented surfaces and (C) hierarchically structured catalysts at the reactor level.
Project Area A: Cluster & nano-particles
The goal of Project Area A is to develop a quantitative, atomically-resolved mechanistic understanding of the main reactions involved in emission control catalysis using Pt and Pd-based nanoparticles supported on various metal oxides.
For this purpose, novel experimental methods will be used to prepare and study the behaviour of model catalysts comprising size-selected clusters and nanoparticles
Project Area B: Porous catalysts
The goal of Project Area B is the design, catalytic performance testing and tracking of the formation and fate of the active site(s) in porous powder model catalysts, as well as building an understanding by molecular and multiscale modeling. Monometallic and bimetallic Pt and/or Pd clusters and nanoparticles (defined particle sizes from below 1-20 nm) will be prepared on CeO2, TiO2 and AI2O3 supports.
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Project Area C: Catalytic reactors
The goal of Project Area C relates to the interconnection of the basic understanding developed in project areas A and B with the behaviour of real catalytic converters. Important aspects are synthesis and design of real hierarchically-structured catalyst systems, i.e. real reactors, the understanding of all structures (nanoparticles, washcoats, support structure, integral system) and their interaction under realistic transient conditions (continuous variations of the feed with respect to composition, temperature and mass flow).
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