CATALISI E FOTOCATALISI PER L'AMBIENTE E L'ENERGIA

The course aims to provide the fundamental knowledge of catalysis and photocatalysis, with special attention to the application of (photo)catalysts in the fields of energy production and environmental protection.

Classroom lessons with numerical exercises

• Hystory and importance of catalysis
• Basic principles of catalysis. Heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. Classification of catalysts.
• Heterogeneous catalysis and adsorption: physisorption and chemisorption. Adsorption isotherms. Surface area determination and poresize distribution. Metallic dispersion.
• Kinetics of catalysed reactions and main reaction mechanisms: Langmuir-Hinshelwood, Eley-Rideal, Mars-van Krevelen.
• Preparation methods and characterization techniques of heterogeneous catalysts.
• Measurements of catalytic activity. Deactivation mechanisms of catalysts
• Principles and objectives of Green Chemistry. Solid acids and bases in catalysis. Catalytic processes with low environmental impact.
• Catalysis for environmental protection. Catalysis for gasoline and diesel cars. DeNOx e deSO_X catalysts. Catalytic combustion of VOC.
• Production and storage of hydrogen. Fuel cells technologies. Hydrogen economy.
• Catalytic processes for fuel production and improvement.
• Principles and applications of photocatalysis. Main heterogeneous photocatalysts.
• Applications of photocatalysis: removal of pollutants from water and air, selective oxidations, watersplitting, CO₂ reduction

1. J. Hagen – Industrial Catalysis: a practical approach. Wiley-VCH

2. C.H Bartholomew, R.J. Farrauto, Fundamentals of industrial catalytic processes, 2^nd ed. Wiley-Interscience

3. G. Ertl, H. Knozinger, J. Weitkamp - Preparation of Solid Catalysts – Wiley-VCH

4. Visible-light-active photocatalysis: nanostructured catalyst design, mechanisms and applications, S.Ghosh ed., Wiley-VCH

5. Photocatalysis and Water Purification, P. Pichat Ed., Wiley-VCH

6. H. Kisch, Semiconductor Photocatalysis, Wiley