Catalysis is one of the key technologies in the chemical industry and has a wide-reaching impact on various aspects of our daily lives, including plastics manufacturing, drug synthesis, and production of both fertilizers and fuels. It is estimated that over 90% of chemical products are nowadays manufactured with the involvement of catalysis in at least one stage (Catal. Today, 2011, 163(1)). Catalysis is a complex process that relies on the precise structural control of several elements at the crossroads of phase (in-)stabilities. While long-term stable catalysts are indispensable in order to promote high-performance and efficient reactions, reactants undergo major chemical changes, leading to the formation of final and desired products. In heterogeneous catalysis, catalyst and reactants exist in different phases.
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