A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without changing physically or chemically is referred to as a catalyst. It improves chemical processes while reducing waste, production time, energy use, and operating expenses. Controlling emissions, reducing volatile organic compounds, creating enhanced oil fractions, such as natural gas, biodiesel, and propane, and synthesizing active ingredients and intermediates all contribute to improving air quality. Catalysts are therefore commonly employed in processes such as polymer processing, organic synthesis, petrochemical production, environment protection reactions, and bulk chemical synthesis.

In all areas of the chemical industry, catalysts are used: in basic chemistry, to produce nitric acid, sulfuric acid, ammonia, methanol, and aromatics; in petrochemistry, to create intermediate chemicals and polymers; in refining, primarily in fluid catalytic-cracking and hydrotreatment reactions; and in the manufacture of fine chemicals, to create intermediates and active compounds. The methods employed in refineries and the synthesis of intermediates for the petrochemical industry are highlighted.

Characteristics of A Commercial Catalyst

A catalyst is a substance or a mixture of substances, that speeds up the reaction path without changing the thermodynamic conditions, increasing the pace of a chemical process. After the catalytic process, the catalyst often doesn't change.
The following are a catalyst's characteristics that influence the choice:
(1) The activity can be described using its rate, turnover, or conversion. The more activity, the more output, and/or the smaller the reactor's volume, the more tolerant the reaction conditions are.
(2) The selectivity, measured as a mole of the desired product for every mole of the reactant that was transformed. The cost of separation, purification, waste treatment and the number of reagents required all decrease with increasing selectivity.