July 17-18, 2007

NSLS-II Workshop

Catalysis

Participants in the breakout session on catalysis, organized by Anatoly Frenkel (Yeshiva University), brainstormed about the following key issues: the future directions of catalysis science at synchrotrons, the advanced capabilities needed for cutting-edge research in catalysis science, upgrades of "conventional" experiments and techniques, and, the technical, logistical, and financial challenges associated with all of this. The tone for active discussions by many of the 54 workshop participants was set from the very beginning by Ralph Nuzzo (UIUC) in his talk “Understanding Catalysis.” Other speakers included Frenkel, J. Hanson (BNL) and D. Mullins (ORNL).

Participants identified key scientific drivers in the catalysis field: atomistic understanding of activity, and selectivity and performance of nanocatalysts for rational design of low-cost and highly active catalysts. Due to the intrinsic complexity of spatial and temporal metrics in catalysis research (a length scale spanning from Anstroms to microns, and a time scale spanning from femtoseconds to minutes), competing effects of cluster-support/adsorbate interactions, as well as structural relaxations, heterogeneity, polydispersity etc. of nanocatalysts, the world-best leading spatial resolution and flux that will be available at the NSLS-II are needed to advance synchrotron catalysis research.

Among novel experiments that workshop participants identified are XAFS studies of single nanoparticles, in-situ, combined, quick XAFS/DAFS/XRD, high-energy diffraction, high-energy resolution fluorescence, and fast moderate pressure XPS, among others.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Anatoly Frenkel
Yeshiva University
Email: frenkel@bnl.gov