What are the Key Steps in Catalyst Characterization?
Characterizing a catalyst involves determining its physical and chemical properties to understand its performance. Important techniques include:
1. Surface Area Analysis: Measuring the surface area using methods like BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) analysis. 2. X-ray Diffraction (XRD): Identifying crystalline phases and particle sizes. 3. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM): Observing the morphology and dispersion of active sites. 4. Temperature-Programmed Desorption (TPD): Analyzing the types and strengths of adsorbed species. 5. Spectroscopy: Techniques like Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) for molecular-level insights.