Page 10 - Principles of Catalyst Development
P. 10

PREFACE








            If this  book sounds like "all you  ever wanted to know about catalysis and
            were  afraid  to  ask,"  then  perhaps  it  is.  It is  written  unashamedly  for  the
            newcomer  to  catalysis,  the  student,  process  engineer,  research  chemist,
            salesman, and  manager. The philosophy of the  book is  based  on  a  highly
            successful industrial short course, "Applications of Heterogeneous Cataly-
            ~is," taught at the  University of Houston for over 17  years.  My experience
            with  this  course  tells  me  that  there  is  a  constant  flow  of scientists  and
            engineers entering the  field  who  need this type of text.
                My own experience of the past 35 years is testimony to the complexity
            of catalytic development:  graduate  degrees  in  physics  under the  direction
            of a colloidal chemist;  13  years of industrial research with Exxon Research
            and Engineering, learning the balance of fundamental and applied catalysis;
            and 18 as professor of chemical engineering, developing and using teaching
            techniques. I would hope that today's apprentices do not need such a varied
            path but find  within existing disciplines the guidance and background with
            which to  advance catalysis  from  an art to a  science.
                And  yet  it  is  no  easy  task  to  write  a  book  for  such  a  heterogeneous
            (no  pun  intended)  audience.  Physicists,  chemists, and engineers seeking a
            foothold  will  find  in  these  pages  a  little  of all  their  crafts  but,  alas,  not
            enough  to  satisfy  the  purists.  The  objective  is  to  provide  the  necessary
            essence  of each  discipline,  to  educate,  to  instruct,  and  to  supply  enough
            coherence that, one hopes, those of us from different backgrounds can work
            together or at least converse with each other.  For those wishing to advance
            into a deeper study of catalysis, this book will  serve as a  focal  point and a
            launching  pad, through the  references quoted liberally in  the text.
                The specialist is  not forgotten.  I have  learned that each of us  has still
            much  to  discover.  If this  book  sparks  one  creative  thought  in  each  of its
            readers,  its  purpose will  have  been  realized.
                                                                              xi
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