CATS is a service aimed at evaluating, optimising and commercialising new compounds and materials as catalysts

The Service

The service will aim to:

• Evaluate new compounds and materials for their catalytic potential
• Optimise promising catalysts for their activity, selectivity, stability and lifetime
• Open up routes to commercialisation of catalysts via direct contacts with appropriate industries
• Bridge the gap between the Science base and the Applied Catalysis Industry

The service is unique within the UK

The Need for CATS

• The UK Chemicals industry currently has a trade surplus of 4 billion, employs 6% of the workforce and is growing at a sustained rate of 3.6% (CIA Figures)
• 80% of all products and materials arising from the Chemical Industry have been through at least one process involving a catalyst
• The UK has an excellent record in the synthesis of new materials and compounds, many of which may have exciting catalytic properties
• There is an urgent need, identified by the Chemicals Foresight Panel, to bridge the gap between the strong synthetic Science Base and the vibrant industrial presence in catalysis.
  • "Catalysis is an area of key importance to the UK Chemicals Industry" Progress through Partnership, Chemicals Panel of Technology Foresight, 1995, p 29

  • "The UK has strengths in some of the basic sciences supporting catalysis and the industrial structure to take advantage of developments, but is weak in applied catalyst research" Progress through Partnership, p 51

  • "There is a clear perceived gap between academia and industry" Progress through Partnership, p 51

  • "UK strengths in science which are fundamental to catalysis must be exploited more effectively, through greater focus and coordination and improved applications to industrially relevant catalytic technology" Chemical Industry Research Priorities, Chemical Industries Association, 1995, p 83

Facilities available through CATS

Heterogeneous reactor for liquid-phase hydrogenations

• Two dedicated reactors for evaluating metals, supported metals, metal oxides or supported metal complexes, each with on-line GCMS detection
• Homogeneous batch reactor with efficient gas/liquid mixing and the capability for kinetic measurements at constant pressure
• Instrument for measuring total (BET) surface area, metal surface area, and pore size
• A wide range of other techniqes from within the research groups running the service
• The range of reactions for which evaluation is possible is large

Operation of CATS

Cats will be operated by a consortium of Universities:

St. Andrews

D.J. Cole-Hamilton, Chairman, Management Committee

Dundee

J.A. Cairns

Edinburgh

G.S. McDougall

Glasgow

G. Webb

J. Cooper, Marketing Manager

Initial evaluation will be agreed in discussion with the customer, but might include:

• A generic screening programme involving an agreed range of reactions
• A more focussed evaluation for a particular process with direct comparisons of activity, selectivity and stability with industry standards
• Surface area measurements for heterogeneous catalysts can be carried out before and after use

Customers of CATS

• University research groups of synthetic Chemists or Materials Scientists
  • Applying for funds for access to the service. Academic Customers of CATS can include a request for funds to access the service under the consumables heading of Research Grant applications. We shall also write a supporting letter to accompany the application, indicating that we are capable of carrying out the work requested and that sufficient time is available on the service. Academics who wish to apply for funding should contact the Service Coordinator, Prof COle-Hamilton, as early as possible when they are preparing their applications. In addition, it is anticipated that requests for funding to use CATS will be included in applications to Industrial Sponsors where this is appropriate.
• Industrial research and development groups can access the service in either or both of the following ways
  • Those with limited catalyst testing facilities may wish to simply use the service as fee paying customers
  • Those with an interest in commercialising promising new catalysts arising from the general screening process will wish to subscribe to CATS as industrial affiliates.

Cost of access to the CATS service

The cost of the service is 600 per day exclusive of VAT. More detailed costs for individual or groups of tests are available from the Service Coordinator,

Funding for CATS

Professor David J. Cole-Hamilton,
School of Chemistry,
University of St. Andrews,
St. Andrews,
Fife,
KY16 9ST
Scotland

Tel:    01334-463805
Fax:    01334-463808
e-mail: djc@st-and.ac.uk