Abstract

Catalysis is the key to efficient chemical processing. Catalysts increase the rates of chemical reactions without affecting the equilibrium and, ideally, without being consumed. Catalysts work by forming chemical bonds with reactants and providing energetically favorable pathways for their conversion into products. This article is a summary of catalysis in solutions and on surfaces, including basic definitions and principles and numerous industrial examples; it is organized to emphasize the unity of the subject, direct the reader to the literature, and provide practical guidelines about technological applications.