What are the industrial implications of these discoveries?
The discoveries by Nobel laureates in catalysis have numerous industrial implications. For instance, the Ostwald process is critical for the large-scale production of nitric acid, essential for fertilizers. The Sabatier reaction is used extensively in the hydrogenation of oils and the synthesis of fuels. Langmuir's work on adsorption helps in designing better catalysts and improving chemical reactors. Ertl's insights into surface reactions aid in the development of more efficient catalytic converters for reducing automotive emissions and enhancing processes like ammonia synthesis.
