MS PowerPoint

							The National Centre for Catalysis Research was
established by the Department of Science and Technology
in July 2006 at IIT-M, Chennai, with the following mandates:

• Developing quality manpower in Catalysis MTech & PhD.
• Organizing special courses/workshops for
  academia and industry.
• Research in frontier areas in Catalysis with global impact.
• Interacting with Indian and global industries
  to develop / improve catalytic technologies.
• Collaborating with academic Institutions in India
  and abroad.
• Involving in activities to improve Catalysis research in India
• Training of more than 500 persons at different levels
  in various aspects of Catalysis,
• Established facilities for carrying out advanced research
  in the area of Catalysis.
• More than 200 publications in journals,
• 9 patents, 18 books (14 of them printed versions)
• and more than 450 presentations.
• Collaborations with many Indian and Foreign Universities.
• Many collaborative research projects with industry.
NCCR is a brain-child of Prof. B. Viswanathan
He has contributed enormously for its growth and output
through perseverance and hard work
For most of us research is a vocation (a way of making a
living); for BV it is his life (lives for it)

Phase II of the proposal for extending the life-term of the
centre has been approved in principle and formal orders are
expected from DST in due course of time.

During phase II, the centre is expected to grow further
and achieve more.
 Regarding catalysis:
Catalysis is important or human welfare:
1) Basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) – we need
   to develop sustainable ways
2) Energy (transportation & other needs) – newer
   forms, sustainable ones
3) Protection of the environment (pollution prevention
   & treatment)


 Imagine what will happen if we stop making NH3 !
The importance, need and ubiquity of catalysis is not
apparent to the common man

Eg. not many know that a polyester shirt involves many
catalytic processes
Ethane/         Ni/CaO/MgO           Ag/α-alumina                   H+    Hydrolysis
naphtha          Cracking            Sel. oxidation


                                                              Ethylene glycol

Petroleum             Polyester
                                         Sb             +
                                                                 Purified
                                    Polymerization
                                                                 Terephthalic
                                                                 Acid (PTA)
 Naphtha
                                              Hydrogenation        Pt/C
Pt,Sn/alumina    Dehydrogenation/
                 Cyclization

                                                  Oxidation      Co-Mn/HOAc

  Xylenes
 separation                 Pt/zeolite           Separation
           m-xylene      Isomerization           using zeolite
Our life is mostly dependent on fossil fuels!
What happens when they run out ?
How can catalysis help?