Catalysis

A catalysis is the acceleration of a chemical reaction by a catalyst. The very small addition of REEs to a chemical reaction can throttle the process enormously. Lets take a look at the different types of catalytic systems that are currently in place.

Types of Catalysis

Heterogeneous: A catalyst that is of a different phase than that of the reactants, i.e. the catalyst is a solid while the reactants are in a liquid or gaseous state. This type of reaction will occur commonly in a fuel cell, where the catalyst throttles the rate at which oxidation occurs, speeding up the creation of free electrons to flow from the anode to the cathode.

Homogeneous: A catalyst is the same state as the reactants. This type of catalysis is almost entirely related to something called organometallic compounds. An organometallic compound is a compound containing an organic molecule that is bonded to a non organic element, such as a rare earth element.

Where Do REEs Play a Role?

60% of national REE consumption is used as catalyst in chemical reactions. What processes are REEs used to catalyze? Oil refining and your car's catalytic converter. The refining of oil is big business, and if there is a way to speed up the process, you bet they're going to use it. Oil refining is a process of breaking down the long hydrocarbon molecules of crude into smaller, more useful molecules like kerosene, diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel.
REE-rich catalysts are introduced into the process to help the cracking along at a swifter, more effective pace.