New Iron Catalyst Promises Green Future for Hydrogenation...

摘要

A new iron nanoparticle catalyst developed by researchers in Japan and Canada promises to drastically improve the efficiency of hydrogenation, a key chemical process used in a wide array of industrial applications. Cleaner, safer and cheaper than traditional rare metal-based catalysts, the new, more environmentally friendly technique marks a breakthrough for the emerging field of green chemistry. Most applications of hydrogenation use rare metal catalysts such as palladium or platinum to speed up chemical reactions. While highly efficient, these metals are expensive and limited in supply, posing environmental and economic challenges.