How Do Environmental Interferences Affect Catalysts?
Environmental interferences can affect catalysts in several ways:
1. Poisoning: Certain contaminants can strongly adsorb to the active sites of a catalyst, making them unavailable for the desired reaction. For example, sulfur compounds are notorious for poisoning metal catalysts in hydrodesulfurization processes. 2. Sintering: High temperatures can cause the agglomeration of catalyst particles, reducing the surface area and available active sites. This is a common issue in high-temperature catalytic processes. 3. Leaching: In liquid-phase reactions, catalysts can lose active components due to dissolution, especially in the presence of acidic or basic environments. 4. Coking: The deposition of carbonaceous materials on the catalyst surface, known as coking, can block active sites and pores, leading to a decline in activity. 5. Oxidation/Reduction: Catalysts that are sensitive to redox conditions can be deactivated through oxidation or reduction, altering their active phases and reducing their effectiveness.
