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

I/UCRC的Rational Catalyst Synthesis计划建立一个研究组合，将催化剂制备的艺术转化为一门科学，通过带来强大的、互补的专业知识来承担非均相催化剂的纳米科学和纳米工程的基本问题。在纳米工程应用中，可以合成具有特定尺寸、含量（单金属或多金属）和形态的纳米颗粒，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至最低。催化过程代表了美国经济的主要基础，并负责商品化学品，如汽油，纺织品，化肥和特殊化学品，如药品。大约占世界的20% ？美国经济直接或间接依赖于催化剂。更广泛的教育影响将实现在所有项目的实际心态和学生通过他们的执行训练。这种工业倾向将源于两个方面；第一，在内部，来自行业研究经验的领导，第二，来自行业直接参与个人研究项目。教育外展将包括招募和最终安置代表性不足的群体。

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.