KJM9810 – Heterogeneous Catalysis
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course deals with chemical and physical phenomena that are important within heterogeneous catalysis. Among these are adsorption on and desorption from solids, the chemical kinetics of surface reactions, and chemical equilibrium. The pore structure and surface properties of solid catalysts, their catalytic activity and selectivity, and instrumentation and methods for characterization of catalytic systems will be described. Important industrial processes for the exploitation of natural gas will be described and used as examples. The course is well suited for master students with interests directly related to catalysis and ph.d. candidates working within related areas.
Learning outcome
After having completed the course, the candidate will be able to:
- Have knowledge about the fundamental principles and experimental techniques used to study the five steps in a heterogeneously catalyzed reaction.
- Give a quantitative description of adsorption/desorption and the kinetics of catalytic reactions on a surface.
- Describe how quantum chemistry, statistical thermodynamics, and transition state theory are combined to calculate the rate of surface reactions.
- Account for how the catalytic activity and selectivity is influenced by the physical and electronic surface properties of the catalyst.
- Account for the physical and/or chemical phenomena behind important techniques for the characterization of catalysts and catalytic reactions and the information offered by these techniques.
- Find and compile relevant literature and give a seminar on a
prescribed topic
Admission
PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb.
If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.
PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge
KJM3800 – Petrochemistry (continued) and KJM-MENA3500 – Polymers, colloids and surfaces (discontinued).
Overlapping courses
- 9 credits overlap with KJ430
- 10 credits overlap with KJM5810 – Heterogeneous catalysis
Teaching
Time and place for teaching will be decided in agreement with the students. During the semester you have to prepare and give a seminar on a topic given byt the person responsible for the course. the seminar must be approved before you can take the exam.
The first lecture is mandatory. If you are unable to join the first lesson, you have to inform the Expedition Office in advance (phone 22 85 54 46, e-mail ekspedisjonen@kjemi.uio.no). If you fail to do this, you loose the access to the teaching and the examination in the course for the given semester.
Within August 10th / January 10th, international students must inform the Examination Officer at the Department of Chemistry (room VU12, phone 22855447) if English teaching is requested.
Examination
Oral examination counts 1000 %. During the semester you have to prepare and give a seminar on a topic given byt the person responsible for the course. the seminar must be approved before you can take the exam.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.