Recent advances in microcalorimetric studies for the characterization of metal based catalysts

Abstract

The heat evolved during a catalytic reaction is related to the energy of formation and conversion of chemical bonds between a solid catalyst and the reacting gas molecules. Thus, the measurements and studies for the heat using a Tian-Calvet heat flux microcalorimeter is of primary importance in catalysis. Such studies lead to an understanding of the adsorption and reaction behavior from the point of view of energetics, and give insight into the catalytic properties of catalysts and the mechanisms of catalytic reaction. Microcalorimeter combined with a vacuum system has been widely used to measure the adsorption heat with which probe molecules adsorb on solid catalyst surface. This paper will review the progress of microcalorimetry studies for the metal catalysts over the past ten years, especially in the characterization of active sites and the relationship between adsorption heat and reaction activities. In addition, we develop a pulse calorimetry system for the studies of catalytic reaction. The latest development for the catalytic reaction studies using this technique will also be reviewed in this paper.