Process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction

Catalysis

Catalysis

Catalysis (<a href="/en/Help:IPA/English" title="Help:IPA/English" class="wl">/kəˈtæləsɪs/</a>) is the process of increasing the <a href="/en/Reaction_rate" title="Reaction rate" class="wl">rate</a> of a <a href="/en/Chemical_reaction" title="Chemical reaction" class="wl">chemical reaction</a> by adding a substance known as a catalyst<a href="#cite_note-IUPACc-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;">[2]</a> (<a href="/en/Help:IPA/English" title="Help:IPA/English" class="wl">/ˈkætəlɪst/</a>). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recycles quickly, very small amounts of catalyst often suffice;<a href="#cite_note-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;">[3]</a> mixing, surface area, and temperature are important factors in reaction rate. Catalysts generally react with one or more reactants to form <a href="/en/Reaction_intermediate" title="Reaction intermediate" class="wl">intermediates</a> that subsequently give the final reaction product, in the process of regenerating the catalyst.

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction</div>
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<figure class="wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Catalysts.JPG" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Catalysts.JPG"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Catalysts.JPG/300px-Catalysts.JPG" decoding="async" data-file-width="1050" data-file-height="750" data-file-type="bitmap" height="214" width="300" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Catalysts.JPG/450px-Catalysts.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Catalysts.JPG/600px-Catalysts.JPG 2x" alt="Catalysts.JPG"></a><figcaption>A range of industrial catalysts in pellet form</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg/220px-Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg" decoding="async" data-file-width="2974" data-file-height="2433" data-file-type="bitmap" height="180" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg/330px-Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg/440px-Low_Temperature_Oxidation_Catalyst.jpeg 2x" alt></a><figcaption>An <a href="/en/Air_filter" title="Air filter" class="wl">air filter</a> that uses a low-temperature oxidation catalyst to convert <a href="/en/Carbon_monoxide" title="Carbon monoxide" class="wl">carbon monoxide</a> to less toxic <a href="/en/Carbon_dioxide" title="Carbon dioxide" class="wl">carbon dioxide</a> at room temperature. It can also remove <a href="/en/Formaldehyde" title="Formaldehyde" class="wl">formaldehyde</a> from the air.</figcaption></figure>
Catalysis may be classified as either <a href="/en/Homogeneous_catalysis" title="Homogeneous catalysis" class="wl">homogeneous</a>, whose components are dispersed in the same phase (usually gaseous or liquid) as the reactant, or <a href="/en/Heterogeneous_catalysis" title="Heterogeneous catalysis" class="wl">heterogeneous</a>, whose components are not in the same phase. <a href="/en/Enzyme" title="Enzyme" class="wl">Enzymes</a> and other biocatalysts are often considered as a third category.

Catalysis is ubiquitous in <a href="/en/Chemical_industry" title="Chemical industry" class="wl">chemical industry</a> of all kinds. Estimates are that 90% of all commercially produced chemical products involve catalysts at some stage in the process of their manufacture.

The term "catalyst" is derived from <a href="/en/Greek_language" title="Greek language" class="wl">Greek</a> <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/καταλύω" title="wikt:καταλύω" class="extiw" target="_blank">καταλύειν</a>, kataluein, meaning "loosen" or "untie". The concept of catalysis was invented by chemist <a href="/en/Elizabeth_Fulhame" title="Elizabeth Fulhame" class="wl">Elizabeth Fulhame</a>, based on her novel work in oxidation-reduction experiments.<a href="#cite_note-Laidler-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-American_Chemical_Society-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;">[5]</a>

Catalysis is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst mixing, surface area, and temperature are important factors in reaction rate. Catalysts generally react with one or more reactants to form intermediates that subsequently give the final reaction product, in the process of regenerating the catalyst. Catalysis may be classified as either homogeneous, whose components are dispersed in the same phase as the reactant, or heterogeneous, whose components are not in the same phase. Enzymes and other biocatalysts are often considered as a third category. 