(594c) Smart Combinatorial Operando Spectroscopic Catalytic Reactor System

With the recent introduction of the operando spectroscopic methodology that involves simultaneous spectroscopic characterization of catalysts and reaction product analysis to develop molecular structure-activity selectivity relationships, there is currently a strong desire to obtain real time catalyst spectroscopic and performance information under relevant reaction conditions. Recent advances in optical spectroscopic instrumentation now allow for the collection of Raman, IR and UV-Vis spectra with temporal (~1 second) and spatial (~1 micron) resolution. Such a new operando spectroscopic system has been developed that can simultaneously provide multiple spectroscopic (IR, UV-Vis, Raman excitation from UV to visible and temperature programmed surface reaction) and confocal microscopic information for surface mapping. The reaction products from this operando spectroscopic catalytic system are monitored in real time with an online GC and mass spectrometer system. To further accelerate the amount of information being generated from such an operando spectroscopic catalytic system, eight multiple parallel fixed-bed reactors were installed to also allow for combinatorial studies. Thus, this smart combinatorial operando catalytic system (PCT International Patent WO 2005100993) can perform 6 spectroscopic experiments, 1 microscopic experiment that allows for the rapid establishment of molecular/electronic structure-catalytic activity/selectivity relationships that will allow for the design of advanced catalytic materials. This presentation will discuss the design details and capabilities by discussing several examples investigated with this smart combinatorial operando spectroscopic catalytic system.