Characterization of Catalysts under Working Conditions with an Oscillating Microbalance Reactor

This review deals with the use of the tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) for investigations of catalysts under working conditions. The method combines the advantage of a microbalance for measuring mass changes in the catalyst bed and the fixed-bed microreactor for determination of kinetics. In the TEOM, the mass is detected as a change in its vibrational frequency, thus avoiding the problem of bypassing in a conventional microbalance. Two examples illustrate the value of the technique for characterization of working catalysts: conversion of methanol to olefins catalyzed by SAPO-34 and steam reforming of natural gas catalyzed by nickel. A comprehensive literature survey of the use of TEOM is also included.