Syllabus for Catalysis

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• explain the principles of homogeneous, heterogeneous and bio-catalysis and give examples of important catalytic reactions, with an emphasis on those related to renewable (solar) fuel production.
• explain the reaction kinetics of catalytic systems.
• use and explain relevant experimental methods to perform and monitor catalytic reactions under homogenous and heterogeneous conditions.
• identify and use theoretical models to interpret data from different chemical characterization methods in the field of catalysis
• explain chemical bonding, coordination, and structure in terms of crystal and ligand field theory for both solid state materials and molecular systems
• explain how the geometry as well as electronic structure of selected (bio)-molecules and solid state materials affect their chemical properties with relevance for catalytic applications.

Content

The basic principles of catalysis, including kinetics and mechanistic models. Heterogeneous and homogenous catalysis as weel as biocatalysis of relevance to renewable energy, e.g. artificial photosynthesis, and other relevant/representative examples. The fundamentals of electrocatalysis and the effects of coupling proton and electron transfer for catalytic redox reactions. Introduction to the Sabatier principle and volcano plots. The engineering of electrocatalytic materials. Surface properties and function in heterogeneous catalysis. Structure, bonding and reactivity of coordination compounds and metalloorganic complexes based on transition metals. MO theory and 18-electron rule. Mechanisms for ligand substitution and ligand activation. Whole cell biocatalysis, enzyme catalysis, and bioinspired molecular design of relevance for artificial photosynthesis.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars and laboratory work.

Assessment

Written examination (4 credits) and laboratory sessions (1 credit). The final grade will be based on the weighted sum of these components.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.

Other directives

The course cannot be included in the same degree as 1KB255 or 1KB272.