There are numerous techniques employed to characterize catalysts, each providing different types of information.
Surface Area and Porosity
- BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) Method: Used to measure the surface area of porous materials by nitrogen adsorption.
- BJH (Barrett-Joyner-Halenda) Method: Provides information on pore size distribution.
Chemical Composition
- X-ray Fluorescence (XRF): Determines the elemental composition.
- Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP): Another technique for elemental analysis, often used for trace elements.
Structural Analysis
- X-ray Diffraction (XRD): Identifies crystalline phases and gives information on crystallite size.
- Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM): Provides high-resolution images of the catalyst's structure.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): Offers detailed surface morphology images.
Surface Chemistry
- X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS): Analyzes the surface chemical states and composition.
- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR): Identifies surface functional groups and adsorbed species.
Thermal Analysis
- Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA): Measures weight changes due to temperature variations, helpful in understanding thermal stability.
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC): Analyzes heat flow associated with phase transitions.
