Catalysts

• Catalysts serve to accelerate the rate of a chemical reaction. They achieve this by providing an alternative reaction pathway, thus, reducing the activation energy.
• It’s crucial to note that catalysts are not consumed in the reaction, which implies that they remain unchanged at the end.
• Two primary categories of catalysts exist: homogenous catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts. Homogenous catalysts possess the same physical state as the reactants, while heterogeneous catalysts are in a different physical state.
• Catalysts work by offering a surface or a phase where the reactants can come together to react. This occurs most often in heterogeneous catalysts.
• The substances catalysts create in the process to provide the alternative path are termed as ‘intermediates.’
• Enzymes, a form of biological catalysts, operate in living organisms to expedite essential chemical reactions.
• In industrial contexts, catalysts have essential economic and environmental implications. They aid in speeding up reactions, allowing industrial processes to operate at lower temperatures and conserve energy.
• Catalysts are also essential contributors in reducing rates of undesirable reactions and optimising the rates of desirable ones, thus leading to less environmental contamination.
• Catalytic converters are exemplary applications of catalysts in real life, helping to reduce harmful emissions from vehicle exhausts.
• Catalyst Poisoning refers to the process where impurities in a reaction mix bind to a catalyst, reducing its effectiveness.
• The concept of reaction mechanisms, including the role of the catalyst and the intermediates it forms, plays a pivotal role in understanding catalysed reactions.