2021 Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Chemistry Graduate major in Chemistry
Catalytic Chemistry on Solid Surface
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Chemistry
- Instructor(s)
- Takayuki Komatsu
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Mon / 5-6 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CHM.B433
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The instructor in this course will first explain the three functions of catalysts (activity, selectivity, and stability) with example reactions to give students an understanding of what a catalyst is. Next, the instructor will describe the structure, preparation, and characterization of porous materials such as zeolite, explaining their "molecular sieve", "cation exchange", "solid acid", and "catalytic" properties. As to intermetallic compounds, he will first describe their difference from usual alloys, then explain their peculiar bulk properties such as shape memory, superconductivity, and hydrogen storage. Further, the instructor will explain methods for preparing nano-size particles of intermetallic compounds, as well as the fact that they possess high activity and selectivity for various reactions.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to understand the basic functions of catalysts (activity, selectivity, and stability). They will have a deeper understanding of the surface of nanoparticles by learning about the structure, preparation methods, and physical properties of zeolite and intermetallic compounds. A further goal is for students to understand that catalyses by these nano-particles are different from those by pure metal particles and have knowledge of surface structure and physical properties necessary to accelerate only a certain chemical reaction.
[Theme] The first half of this course uses zeolite as an example and students will learn subjects such as the formation mechanism of solid acids, the structure of Brønsted acid sites, cation exchange properties, and the organic reactions catalyzed by acidic catalysts. In the second half, students will learn the structure, physical properties, and synthesis of intermetallic compound nano-particles and their catalysis for hydrogenation–dehydrogenation, reduction–oxidation, and other reactions in comparison with those of pure metals.
Keywords
catalyst, zeolite, intermetallic compound, alloy, nano-particle
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course consists of explanations based on slides.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | What is catalysis? Three major roles of catalyst | Understand catalysis |
| Class 2 | What is zeolite? Its structure | Zeolite structure |
| Class 3 | Adsorption in zeolite, and molecular shape selectivity | Zeolite adsorption |
| Class 4 | Zeolite acidity, solid acid | Zeolite acidity |
| Class 5 | Solid-acid catalyzed reaction | Acid catalyzed reaction |
| Class 6 | Reactions catalyzed by cations incorporated in zeolite | Cations in zeolite |
| Class 7 | What is intermetallic compound? Its bulk properties | Intermetallic compound |
| Class 8 | Nano particles of intermetallic compounds | IMC nano particle |
| Class 9 | Selective hydrogenation | Hydrogenation |
| Class 10 | Nano-particles of Ni-Sn compound | Ni-Sn IMC |
| Class 11 | N-alkylation of amine | Alkylation |
| Class 12 | Acetylene partial hydrogenation | Acetylene hydrogenation |
| Class 13 | PROX reaction on Pt-based compounds | PROX |
| Class 14 | CTH reaction | CTH |
| Class 15 | Oxidative dehydrogenation of amine | Dehydrogenation |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None
Evaluation methods and criteria
Answer the exercise about the lecture and complete a report explaining the contents of a research paper about catalysis by zeolites or intermetallic compounds. Course score will be based on the exercise and report.
Related courses
- CHM.B335 ： Chemistry of Solids
Prerequisites
None