Institute for Environmental Catalysis

西北大学环境催化研究所(IEC)由Peter C.Stair博士领导，支持一项关于工业和环境中选择性氧化催化的跨学科研究计划以及广泛的教育活动，包括为K-12教师开发教材和培训计划。IEC是一个环境分子科学研究所(EMSI)，由NSF化学部、MPS多学科活动办公室和化学与运输系统部门以及能源部基础能源科学办公室化学科学部共同资助。IEC由四个合作研究小组组成：催化氧化分子科学、化学加工、排放处理和自然环境。后三个小组将研究具体的催化氧化过程，而第一个小组将开发和提供获得其他小组所需的分子水平信息所需的工具。由于其在广泛的工业活动中的重要性，有机化合物的催化氧化将被强调。一些可以通过改进催化知识更有效地解决的问题的例子有：从燃烧废气中去除NOX，化石燃料燃烧的效率，许多有用化学品的清洁生产，从废水中去除污染物，以及污染物转化为可生物降解的形式。预计该研究所将对提高工艺效率和减少工业工艺产生的化学废物产生重大影响，并将成为环境催化方面的国家资源。调查团队由49名成员组成，其中包括来自西北大学四个系的21名教师，以及来自阿贡和太平洋西北国家实验室的9名研究人员，以及来自5个工业实验室(联合信号、陶氏化学、恩格尔哈德、联合碳化物和UOP)的19名研究人员。每年将有大约4名博士后研究员、20名研究生和5名本科生参加。

The Institute for Environmental Catalysis (IEC) at Northwestern University, directed by Dr. Peter C. Stair, supports an interdisciplinary research program on selective oxidation catalysis in industry and in the environment as well as a wide range of educational activities, including development of instructional materials and training programs for K-12 teachers. The IEC is supported as an Environmental Molecular Science Institute (EMSI) and jointly funded by the NSF Division of Chemistry, MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities and Division of Chemical and Transport Systems, and by the Chemical Sciences Division of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Department of Energy.The IEC is organized into four collaborative research groups: molecular science of catalytic oxidation, chemical processing, emissions treatment, and natural environment. Specific catalytic oxidation processes will be studied in the latter three while the first group will develop and provide tools required to obtain the molecular level information needed by the other groups. Because of its importance in a broad range of industrial activities, the catalytic oxidation of organic compounds will be emphasized. Examples of some problems that could be addressed more effectively by improved knowledge of catalysis are: removal of NOX from combustion exhaust, efficiency of fossil fuel combustion, clean production of many useful chemicals, removal of pollutants from waste water streams, and transformation of pollutants to biodegradable forms. The Institute is expected to have a major impact on improving process efficiency and reducing chemical waste from industrial processes and to serve as a national resource on environmental catalysis. The 49-member team of investigators includes 21 faculty from four Northwestern departments plus nine researchers from Argonne and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, and 19 researchers from five (Allied Signal, Dow Chemical, Engelhard, Union Carbide, and UOP) industrial laboratories. Approximately four postdoctoral fellows, 20 graduate students, and five undergraduates will participate each year.