Journal of Thermodynamics & Catalysis
Open Access

Enhanced Process of Oxidation Catalysis during Chemical Reaction

Alexey Cherevan^{* *}Correspondence: Alexey Cherevan, Department of Materials Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria, Email:

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Description

Oxidation catalysis refers to the process of catalyzing the oxidation of a reactant using a catalyst. Oxidation is a process where electrons are lost from a molecule or atom. Oxidation catalysis is an important process in many chemical reactions, including those that occur in the petrochemical industry, the automotive industry, and in environmental applications.

Catalysts are chemicals that enhance chemical reactions without being consumed by processes. In the case of oxidation catalysis, the catalyst facilitates the transfer of electrons from the reactant to an oxidant, which causes the reactant to be oxidized. The catalyst can also facilitate the removal of hydrogen atoms from the reactant, which can further promote oxidation.

One of the most commonly used catalysts in oxidation catalysis is platinum (Pt). Pt is a highly active catalyst that is commonly used in automobile catalytic converters to oxidize carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). Pt is also used in the chemical industry to oxidize various organic compounds, such as alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones, to form carboxylic acids.

Another common catalyst used in oxidation catalysis is palladium (Pd). Pd is commonly used to catalyze the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. Pd is also used to catalyze the oxidation of various organic compounds, such as olefins, aromatics, and alkanes, to form the corresponding carbonyl compounds. In addition to Pt and Pd, there are many other catalysts that can be used in oxidation catalysis. For example, silver (Ag) can be used to catalyze the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) can be used to catalyze the oxidation of water to form oxygen (O₂) in the process of photosynthesis. Copper (Cu) can be used to catalyze the oxidation of methanol (CH₃OH) to form formaldehyde (CH₂O) and then to formic acid (HCOOH).

The mechanism of oxidation catalysis depends on the type of catalyst and the reactant being oxidized. In general, the catalyst interacts with the reactant and an oxidant, such as oxygen (O2) or hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), to form an intermediate complex. The intermediate complex then undergoes a series of chemical reactions that result in the oxidation of the reactant.

One of the challenges in oxidation catalysis is to select the appropriate catalyst for a given reaction. The catalyst must be able to selectively oxidize the desired reactant without producing unwanted byproducts. In addition, the catalyst must be stable under the reaction conditions and should not be deactivated or poisoned by the reactants or other reaction components.

Conclusion

The development of new catalysts for oxidation catalysis is an active area of research. One approach is to use computational methods to design new catalysts based on their electronic structure and reactivity. Another approach is to use highthroughput screening methods to rapidly test large numbers of catalysts for their activity and selectivity. Oxidation catalysis has many important applications in industry and in environmental applications. For example, oxidation catalysis is used to reduce the emissions of pollutants from automobiles and industrial processes. It is also used to produce valuable chemicals, such as carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and ketones, from renewable feedstock’s. Oxidation catalysis is used in energy storage and conversion applications such as using catalysts, fuel cells oxidize organic molecules (or hydrogen). Utilizing combustible fuel as a source of energy and air's oxygen as an oxidant, catalytic heaters generate heat without the use of flame.