Operando techniques provide a unique opportunity to investigate mechanims and catalyst properties by collecting data while a chemical reaction is ongoing!
Measurements are carried out ideally under real working conditions, involving temperature and pressure environments comparable for instance to those of industrially catalytic reactions.
Two operando methods are available at NAFUMA:
The reactor STM
In High-Pressure Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) laboratory we seek for understanding how the particular morphology of a catalyst and its chemical composition dictates the catalytic activity and selectivity.
The Operando RECX
In the RECX lab we are well equipped for operando and in situ studies. These are mainly focused on the general purpose diffractometer RECX2 (with Mo radiation for high sample penetration in transmission mode) but can also be carried out on other instruments in the lab.