Chemical Kinetics, Catalysis, Applied Physical Chemistry

Coordinator: Prof. Vittorio Ragaini

The researches concern reactions with possible applications (in the fields of industry, environment, energy), often in the presence of catalysts. The studies include: 

Examples of researches carried out in the Section:

- liquid-phase alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons over solid acid catalysts;

- synthesis of hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and hydrogen (Fischer-Tropsch reaction);

Fig.1 – Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis: selectivity vs. thermal conductivity of diluting materials used in the catalytic bed for <C₇ hydrocarbons.

Fig.2 - Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis: comparison among the maximum selectivities towards methane using different diluting materials in the catalytic bed (note: the best diluting material is that giving the lowest methane selectivity).

- abatement of pollutants, present in gaseous and liquid flows, by oxidation through photocatalysis, sonolysis, ozonolysis, or through ionisation, and possible synergies between these;

- abatement of nitrogen oxides in mixtures having high oxygen content, by SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction);

- mechanism of photoinduced redox processes occurring at the semiconductor-aqueous solution interface;  

- low-temperature catalytic flameless combustion of hydrocarbons over perovskites;

- development and characterization of catalytic materials for industrial application (e.g. ammonia synthesis, direct hydroxylation of aromatics, dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene);

- adsorption and desorption of small molecules on microporous materials (e.g. MOFs);

- use of ultrasound (US) to speed up polymerisation reactions and to prepare solid catalysts having a high dispersion of the active phase;

- characterization of catalytic and polymeric surfaces by various techniques: XPS, chemi- and physi-sorption, FTIR, X-ray fluorescence, TPR-TPD-TPO, plasma treatments;

- elimination of carboxylic acids from waste waters by membranes, through inverse osmosis or extractive esterification.

More research themes are listed in the web pages of the single teachers of this Section.

Fig.3 - MOFs (Metal Organic Frameworks): these materials are constituted by metallic ions (white-blue octahedra), coordinated in the three dimensions to six di-carboxylate structures through bridging oxygen. The size and nature of the organic ion determine the volume of the inner cell (yellow), whose diameter can vary between 0.38 and 2.8 nm. The porosity can be higher than 90% of the overall volume. The application of such materials to the selective storage of some gases is under investigation in our labs.  

(click to enlarge)

Fig.4 - Laboratory pilot plant to perform chemical reactions by feeding a tubular reactor up to 20 bar, with three different types of gases. Continuous analyses are performed for reagents and products; mass-flow controllers are used for the feeding fluxes of gases and a precise flow integrator is set up for outlet flux; this allows a careful evaluation of the mass balance of the plant.

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Department of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy