Entry Date:
March 12, 2009

Chemical Engineering Research: Catalysis and Reaction Engineering


A chemical reaction occurs between two small molecules. Understanding the kinetics of the reaction, and how certain catalysts influence the reaction rate in different ways, leads to useful applications. In designing a chemical reactor, the chemical engineer must consider how the chemical kinetics, often modified by catalysis, interacts with the transport phenomena in flowing materials. The challenge in designing the catalyst is to increase its effectiveness and stability.