Designing catalysts for a sustainable future Faraday Discussion

Scientific programme

A PDF of the programme can be downloaded from the Downloads section on this page. 

Themes 

The Discussion will revolve around the following four interrelated themes.

New methods of catalyst preparation for optimised performance

Catalyst synthesis plays a critical role in determining catalytic performance, yet many preparation methods reported in the literature remain complex, difficult to reproduce and poorly suited to scale-up. Developing robust, reproducible and scalable synthetic approaches is therefore essential if advances in catalyst development are to translate into practical applications.

This session will explore innovative methods of catalyst preparation across a range of catalyst structures, from supported single atoms and nanoparticles to bulk metal oxides. Contributions will focus on catalytic transformations central to the net-zero transition, including CO₂ utilisation, low-carbon hydrogen production and sustainable ammonia synthesis.

We welcome papers addressing a fundamental challenge in heterogeneous catalysis: how can we reproducibly synthesise highly active and stable catalysts using methods that are sufficiently robust and scalable for practical application?

Operando catalysis: The challenges of characterising catalysts under reaction conditions

Historically, heterogeneous catalysts have largely been characterised before and after use, reflecting limitations in available techniques. However, advances in spectroscopy, diffraction and microscopy now enable catalysts to be studied in situ and operando, providing crucial insights into the nature of active catalytic species under reaction conditions.

This session will highlight advances in these techniques and their application to understanding catalyst behaviour under realistic operating conditions. Particular emphasis will be placed on reactions relevant to the net-zero transition, including CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol and hydrocarbons, particularly for sustainable aviation fuel production, and hydrocarbon oxidation reactions used to produce key chemical intermediates.

We welcome papers addressing the central challenge: how can we characterise catalysts under realistic operating conditions to better understand their active states and catalytic behaviour?

Theory as a driving force to understand reactions on catalyst surfaces

Rapid advances in computational methods, particularly machine learning and artificial intelligence as reflected in the 2024 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Physics, are transforming our ability to understand reactions at catalyst surfaces. This session will explore how modern theoretical approaches can provide insights into reaction mechanisms and guide the development of heterogeneous catalysts for sustainable processes, including CO₂ hydrogenation and ammonia synthesis.

We welcome papers addressing the central challenge: how can theoretical methods accurately describe the dynamic behaviour of catalyst surfaces and their interactions with molecules under realistic reaction conditions? Particular emphasis will be given to approaches that connect fundamental theoretical understanding with catalyst synthesis and performance.

Heterogeneous catalysis for Net Zero

The transition to net zero requires more than replacing fossil-derived energy with renewable alternatives; it also demands sustainable routes to the chemicals and fuels on which society depends. Heterogeneous catalysis has a crucial role in enabling energy-efficient processes and developing new routes to essential chemicals using renewable and sustainable feedstocks.

This session will explore catalytic innovations needed to support this transition across a broad range of applications, including biomass valorisation, green hydrogen production, the development and use of low-carbon energy carriers, recycling and reuse within a circular economy, chemical looping, and CO₂ utilisation as an industrial feedstock.

We welcome papers addressing the central challenge: how can advances in heterogeneous catalysis enable the development of sustainable chemical and energy processes that contribute to achieving net zero?

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A unique conference format that prioritises discussion

At a Faraday Discussion, the primary research papers written by the speakers are distributed to all participants before the meeting - ensuring that most of the meeting is devoted to discussing the latest research. This provides a genuinely collaborative environment, where discussion and debate are at the foreground. All delegates, not just speakers, are invited to make comments, ask questions, or present complementary or contradictory measurements and calculations.

An exciting programme of talks - and more

Take part in a well-balanced mix of talks, discussion, poster sessions and informal networking, delivered by our expert events team. You can explore the full programme in the downloadable files on the right - whether you're attending in-person or online, every minute provides an opportunity.

In-depth discussion with leaders in the field

World-leading and established researchers connect with each other and early-career scientists and postgraduate students to discuss the latest research and drive science forwards. It's a unique atmosphere - and challenging others to get to the heart of the problem is encouraged!

Your contributions, published and citable

A citable record of the discussion is published in the Faraday Discussions journal, alongside the research papers. Questions, comments and remarks become a valuable part of the published scientific conversation, and every delegate can make a major contribution

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