Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering Lectures. Topic 2: Catalytic Reaction Kinetics - Part 1

In this lecture we kick off catalytic reaction kinetics, which you need to write a rate law for designing catalytic reactors. We quickly recap the 7 catalytic process steps, then zoom in on what happens at the surface: adsorption, surface reaction, and desorption. You’ll learn how to spot the rate-limiting step (chemical control vs mass-transfer control), and how mechanistic models like Langmuir–Hinshelwood and Eley–Rideal lead to real rate expressions. You’ll also see how adsorption and desorption can be treated like reactions, derive the Langmuir isotherm using a site balance, and work through the Langmuir–Hinshelwood rate law step by step (including a CO oxidation example). At the end there’s a short task: derive the gas-phase version using partial pressures and post your working. Next lecture: a faster way to derive rate laws, more Langmuir–Hinshelwood, then Eley–Rideal and practice problems. #Catalysis #ReactionKinetics #LangmuirHinshelwood #EleyRideal #ChemicalEngineering