Microporous materials with nanometer pores and apertures, called zeolites, have found many applications within catalysis and separation processes and with the discovery of the related silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieve materials in the eighties further new possibilities opened up. Some important examples of applications of these materials are: Conversion of methanol to ethene and propene ( a process now being commersialized in China at large scales), various hydrocarbon transfomation reactions in e.g. refineries, and as catalysts for reduction of NOx emissions. However, even with a good performance in many reactions the catalysts deactivate with time by coking and/or structural degeneration. Improvement and understanding of long-term performance is therefore an important research topic that can influence large scale operations. Therefore, this project has catalyst performance and long term stability as key topics. We will apply new and specially designed X-ray and NMR equipments at UiO and SINTEF(respectively) to study the deactivation processes while they are taking place (often termed in-situ studies). In order to better comprehend the data we will apply atom scale modelling to improve the understanding of the chemical processes taking place when the catalysts degrade during reactive conditions.
The project is a Researcher Project granted by The Research Council of Norway. At UiO a Post Doc is financed by the project and at the University of Manchester there is a PhD student, supervised by Prof. Michael Anderson, that is partly supported by the project. I addition, INEOS is part of the research team due to their interest in the topic. The project's theme and origin is linked to the many year of work at SINETF, UiO and INEOS on microporous materielas and their applications as catalysts. The project is also linked to the SFI inGAP. Due to their interest in the project's theme INEOS is part of the project group.