Catalytic science and technology for environmental issues

Abstract

In the first part of this lecture it is demonstrated, how knowledge that comes from studies of catalysis at the molecular level helps to design new, more efficient catalysts and catalytic processes. In the second part the importance of catalytic technologies for solving environmental issues and providing sustainable development is discussed. It is demonstrated how catalysis helps to protect the ozone layer, to combat the greenhouse effect, to create environmentally safer transport, to solve environmental problems of energy production, to prevent pollution by H2S in gas and oil mining and by CH4 in coal mining, to purify exhausts of chemical and various other industries, to provide the highest energy efficiency and minimize consumption of raw materials in the chemical, petroleum and other industries, to process renewable raw materials, such as biomass, into valuable chemicals. In the third part, the role of the natural abiotic catalysis in the chemistry of the troposphere is discussed.