Chemical transistor - Switching selectivity in a catalytic reaction by fast temperature modulations

The concept of induction heating has been recently applied to catalysis where the temperature increase at catalyst sites leads to faster reaction kinetics and/or improved selectivity patterns [1-3]. The development of supported catalysts with well-defined active structures that catalyze selective chemical transformations and have an additional functionality (e.g. magnetic properties) remains a major challenge. Successful development in this area could provide reactors and processes for synthetic routes and chemical products with optimal space-time yields, minimum waste production, minimum energy consumption, and minimum operating costs. Ferromagnetic materials (like nickel ferrites) are known to generate heat when exposed to an alternating magnetic field in the radiofrequency range. This property is utilized for induction heating of a composite magnetic catalysts, where magnetic nanoparticles are embedded in the catalyst support. The control of magnetic material structure at the nanoscale is the key to increase performances and improve the energy efficiency under RF heating. In this lecture, recent developments in our lab in the area of magnetic catalysts will be discussed highlighting several examples of enhancement of selectivity under fast temperature modulations in chemicals synthesis (among others direct amide synthesis and glucose isomerization in flow).
1. Liu et al., J. Catal. 355 (2017) 120-130.
2. Chatterjee, et al., Chem. Eng. J. 281 (2015) 884–891.
3. Chatterjee, et al., Chem. Eng. J. 243 (2014) 225-233.

Evgeny Rebrov is full professor and Head of the Energy Intensified Reactor Engineering Lab in the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick. He got his PhD in Chemistry (Cum lauda) from Boreskov Institute of Catalysis (Novosibirsk, Russia) in 1999 and his DSc in Chemical Engineering from Lomonosov Moscow University of Fine Chemical Technology in 2012. He is also founder and CTO of Stoli Catalysts Ltd, a spin-out company of the University of Warwick. His research focuses on the development of advanced chemical reactors for catalytic (gas-liquid) processes. Prof. Rebrov has published > 170 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and 9 book chapters and provided > 55 invited talk at scientific conferences and seminars. He is a recipient of several highest EU awards: ERC Starting grant (2011), ERC Proof of Concept (2015) and ERC Synergy (2018) and SME Stage2 Instrument grant (2019).