Written by a team of internationally recognized experts, this book addresses the most important types of catalytic reactions and catalysts as used in industrial practice. Both applied aspects and the essential scientific principles are described. The main topics can be summarized as follows: heterogeneous, homogeneous and biocatalysis, catalyst preparation and characterization, catalytic reaction engineering and kinetics, catalyst deactivation and industrial perspective.

The book provides a comprehensive treatment of combinatorial development of heterogeneous catalysts. In particular, two computer-aided approaches that have played a key role in combinatorial catalysis and high-throughput experimentation during the last decade - evolutionary optimization and artificial neural networks - are described. The book is unique in that it describes evolutionary optimization in a broader context of methods of searching for optimal catalytic materials, including statistical design of experiments, as well as presents neural networks in a broader context of data analysis. It is the first book that demystifies the attractiveness of artificial neural networks, explaining its rational fundamental - their universal approximation capability. At the same time, it shows the limitations of that capability and describes two methods for how it can be improved. The book is also the first that presents two other important topics pertaining to evolutionary optimization and artificial neural networks: automatic generating of problem-tailored genetic algorithms, and tuning evolutionary algorithms with neural networks. Both are not only theoretically explained, but also well illustrated through detailed case studies.

There is an increasing challenge for chemical industry and research institutions to find cost-efficient and environmentally sound methods of converting natural resources into fuels chemicals and energy. Catalysts are essential to these processes and the Catalysis Specialist Periodical Report series serves to highlight major developments in this area. This series provides systematic and detailed reviews of topics of interest to scientists and engineers in the catalysis field. The coverage includes all major areas of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis and also specific applications of catalysis such as NOx control kinetics and experimental techniques such as microcalorimetry. Each chapter is compiled by recognised experts within their specialist fields and provides a summary of the current literature. This series will be of interest to all those in academia and industry who need an up-to-date critical analysis and summary of catalysis research and applications. Catalysis will be of interest to anyone working in academia and industry that needs an up-to-date critical analysis and summary of catalysis research and applications. Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage in major areas of chemical research. Compiled by teams of leading experts in their specialist fields, this series is designed to help the chemistry community keep current with the latest developments in their field. Each volume in the series is published either annually or biennially and is a superb reference point for researchers. www.rsc.org/spr

Written by a team of internationally recognized experts, this book addresses the most important types of catalytic reactions and catalysts as used in industrial practice. Both applied aspects and the essential scientific principles are described. The main topics can be summarized as follows: heterogeneous, homogeneous and biocatalysis, catalyst preparation and characterization, catalytic reaction engineering and kinetics, catalyst deactivation and industrial perspective.