To diagnose catalyst deactivation, one can carry out:
1. Reaction Rate Measurements: A decrease in the reaction rate is a direct indicator of reduced catalyst activity. 2. Surface Area Analysis: Techniques like BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) can measure surface area changes. 3. Spectroscopic Analysis: Methods such as XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) and FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) can identify surface poisoning or chemical changes. 4. Microscopy: Electron microscopy can reveal structural changes and sintering.
