Catalysis
- Catalysts play an important part in industry allowing reactions to be carried out more quickly and at lower temperatures
- There are two types of catalysts, heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts
- Transition elements and their compounds are often used as catalysts
- A heterogenous catalyst is in a different physical state (phase) from the reactants
- The reaction occurs at active sites on the surface of the catalyst
- For example, vanadium(V) oxide, V2O5, is a solid catalyst used in the Contact process for making sulfuric acid
- Another example is the use of solid iron, Fe, in the Haber process for making ammonia
- A homogeneous catalyst is in the same physical state (phase) as the reactants
- An example of a homogeneous catalyst is the role of iron(II) ions, Fe2+, in the reaction between iodide ions, I-, and peroxydisulfate ions, S2O82-
- Transition elements are often used as catalysts due to their ability to form ions with more than one stable oxidation state, and the fact that they contain vacant d orbitals
Vacant d-orbitals
- Transition elements and their ions have vacant d-orbitals which are energetically accessible
- The orbitals are not too high in energy
- This means that attractions can be formed between the transition element and pairs of electrons on small molecules such as hydrogen
- The table below shows the electron configuration of the transition elements
- The empty d-orbitals can be filled by donated pairs of electrons
Electronic configuration of transition elements table