Planning Grant: I/UCRC for the Center for Rational Catalyst Synthesis

计划中的I/UCRC理性催化剂合成旨在建立一个研究组合，可以通过带来强大的，互补的专业知识，以承担纳米科学和纳米工程的非均相催化剂的基本问题，将催化剂制备的艺术转化为科学。 在纳米工程应用中，纳米颗粒可以合成为特定的尺寸、含量（单金属或多金属）和形态，因此可以针对特定的催化反应进行优化，或将昂贵的贵金属含量降到最低。催化过程是美国经济的主要支柱，也是汽油、纺织品、化肥等商品化学品和药品等特种化学品的主要来源。世界上大约20%的？的经济性直接或间接地取决于催化作用。更广泛的教育影响将在所有项目的实践思维中实现，并通过项目的执行培训学生。这种工业倾向将来自两个来源：第一，在内部，来自领导层的工业研究经验，第二，来自工业界对个别研究项目的直接参与。教育推广将包括征聘代表性不足的群体并最终安排他们就业。

The planned I/UCRC for Rational Catalyst Synthesis intends to establish a research portfolio that can transform the art of catalyst preparation into a science through bringing powerful, complementary expertise to bear on fundamental problems of nanoscience and nanoengineering of heterogeneous catalysts. In nanoengineering applications, nanoparticles can be synthesized with specific size, content (single or multi-metals) and morphology and so be optimized for particular catalytic reactions or to minimize the content of expensive precious metals.Catalytic processes represent a major underpinning of the U.S. economy and are responsible for commodity chemicals such as gasoline, textiles, and fertilizer and specialty chemicals such as pharmaceuticals. About 20% of the world?s economy depends directly or indirectly on catalysis. Broader educational impact will be achieved in the practical mindset of all projects and the students trained through their execution. This industrial bent will stem from two sources; first, internally, from the industry research experience of the leadership, and second, from direct involvement of industry in individual research projects. Educational outreach will include the recruitment and eventual industrial placement of underrepresented groups.