Successful industrial heterogeneous catalysts fulfill several key
require- ments: in addition to high catalytic activity for the desired
reaction, with high selectivity where appropriate, they also have an
acceptable commercial life and are rugged enough for transportation and
charging into plant reactors. Additional requirements include the need
to come online smoothly in a short time and reproducible manufacturing
procedures that involve convenient processes at acceptable cost. The
development of heterogeneous catalysts that meet these (often mutually
exclusive) demands is far from straightforward, and in addition much of
the actual manufacturing tech- nology is kept secret for commercial
reasons-thus there is no modern text that deals with the whole of this
important subject. Principles of Catalyst Development, which deals
comprehensively with the design, development, and manufacture of
practical heterogeneous catalysts, is therefore especially valuable in
meeting the long-standing needs of both industrialists and academics. As
one who has worked extensively on a variety of catalyst development
problems in both industry and academia, James T. Richardson is well
placed to write an authoritative book covering both the theory and the
practice of catalyst development. Much of the material contained in this
book had its origin in a series of widely acclaimed lectures, attended
mainly by industrial researchers, given over many years in the United
States and Europe. All those in industry who work with catalysts, both
beginners and those of considerable experience, should find this volume
an essential guide.
