Synthesis, Properties, and Structure of New Materials and Catalysts

The term ‘catalyst’ was first introduced in 1836 by the Swedish chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779-1848). It refers to a compound that accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being consumed in the process. Catalysis found broad application in chemistry, as most reactions could be carried out far more efficiently in terms of yield, selectivity, and energy input when a catalyst was used. For instance, catalysts were widely employed in the production of polymeric materials.

As part of the research commission’s project, various metals were used which could cooperate within a compound. This gave rise to new materials with exceptional properties. The different metals were separated only by an oxygen bridge, ensuring optimal interaction. Combinations such as zirconium and aluminium, as well as titanium and aluminium, resulted in some of the most active catalysts known for polymerisation reactions.

The oxygen atom between the metal atoms increased the electrophilicity at the metal centres, thereby enhancing the interaction of the incoming monomer with those centres. Following this principle, compounds containing metals from both the main and transition groups of the periodic table were synthesised and analysed for their chemical and physical properties. The scientific work focused on non-toxic metal oxide pairs.

In 1909, Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932) received the first, and in 2007 Gerhard Ertl (*1936) the most recent, Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on catalysts. This clearly demonstrated that even after a century, scientific research in the field of catalysis has not lost its great significance.

Commission Members

Chair: Prof Dr Herbert W Roesky

Prof Dr Reiner Kirchheim / Prof Dr Achim Müller / Prof Dr Konrad Samwer / Prof Dr Dietmar Stalke