Multi-technique probing of catalytic reactions at real working conditions

This proposal is a project aiming at strengthening the current upgrade of the Swiss-Norwegian Beamline B-station from a standard X-ray diffraction (XRD) and absorption spectroscopy (XAS) beamline to a state-of-the-art beamline for in situ/operando catalys is experiments. XAS and XRD are the techniques of choice for studying long- and short-range order in the solid state, respectively. Furthermore, with the availability of Raman spectroscopy, one is able to probe the scale between these two extremes. All th ree techiques have in common that they are very suitable for studying catalyst materials at relevant working conditions (in situ). Combining these techniques in situ provide a tool for studying a wide range of scientific problems that is much more powerfu l than the separate techniques. The combination can only be effected at a synchrotron (because XAS is only practical with synchrotron radiation which of course also makes XRD far superior to conventional lab sources). This combination will place SNBL at t he forefront for characterising catalysts and other types of materials. Recently, we have invested in a dedicated reaction gas feeding system and a online mass spectrometer to be placed at the beamline (through the research based innovation centre InGap) . It is therefore highly relevant and to the interests of several large SNBL user groups in Norway and abroad to that a trained chemical engineering candidate can work closely with the beamline personnel and the users to make the dedicated in situ equipme nt readily available to the user community. The project aims at designing and constructing several in situ cells for combining XRD, XAS and Raman spectroscopy. The cells and the in situ instrumentation will be applied to two selected systems: structured, selective CO oxidation catalysts and NGL dehydrogenation catalysts. The cells and catalytic testing routines will be made available to the general users.