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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C515943/1
Title: Green Catalyst Preparation
Principal Investigator: Blackburn, Professor S
Other Investigators:
Leeke, Professor GA
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Johnson Matthey
Department: IRC in Materials Processing
Organisation: University of Birmingham
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 July 2005 Ends: 30 June 2008 Value (£): 208,465
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Catalysis & Applied Catalysis Chemical Synthetic Methodology
Materials Characterisation Reactor Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Chemicals
Related Grants:
EP/C515935/1 EP/C515951/1
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
In recent years the development of catalysts for processes to replace stoichiometric reactions, which produce large amounts of undesirable waste products, has made a significant contribution to the reduction of environmental pollutants. Unfortunately, this 'greening' of the chemical industry at one level is offset by environmental issues at another, issues that we now have to address. Traditional procedures for the commercial preparation of catalysts often involve the use of metal nitrates as intermediates, resulting in the generation of waste effluent. Recent UK regulations concerning the control of nitrate effluent will inevitably place severe restrictions on catalyst production, necessitating the development of new methods for catalyst synthesis. However, the challenge of this project is not simply to prepare new materials by an academically elegant 'greener' route. The materials must be viable in terms of technical performance and cost effectiveness at the commercial scale. Recent work in Cardiff has highlighted the potential of supercritical media in the clean preparation of active catalysts, and forms the basis of this project. The expertise in synthesis of materials provided by Liverpool will expedite the development of new catalysts, and scale up to commercial conditions will be progressed at Birmingham and Johnson Matthey. As the project partner Johnson Matthey will provide a continual industrial perspective on the research, as well as the route for commercial exploitation.
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.bham.ac.uk