Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

A catalyst is a material that promotes a chemical reaction without being consumed itself. For example, although accidental CO poisoning frequently occurs since almost no reaction occurs by mixing CO and O2 gases, a reaction smoothly proceeds and produces CO2 in the presence of catalysts (Fig). Catalysts have been widely used in industry, such as for various industrial chemical processes, automotive exhaust gas cleanup, and fuel cells.

As catalysts, large amount of noble metals have been consumed. A prospective increase in demand of noble metals is unavoidable due to significant growth of developing countries such as China and India. Therefore, reduction or replacement of noble metals is required. However, it is still very difficult because the origin of catalytic function has never been perfectly understood.

A chemical reaction is exchange of electrons. At elementary processes of catalytic reactions, atoms exchange electrons. Thus, catalytic properties are considered to be dominated by electronic states. Electrons have a magnetic property, “spin”. Therefore, magnetism may also affect catalytic properties, but there are a small number of research reports on a relation between magnetic and catalytic properties. I’m trying to reveal it. This study by fusion of magnetism and catalytic chemistry gives a new factor, magnetism, to catalytic design. I would like to create a new catalytic function by utilization of magnetism for replacement of noble metals in future.