Dedicated Beamline Facilities for Catalytic Research: Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium (SCC)

Synchrotron spectroscopies offer unique advantages over conventional techniques, including higher detection sensitivity and molecular specificity, faster detection rates, and more in-depth information regarding the structural, electronic and catalytic properties under in-situ reaction conditions. Despite these advantages, synchrotron techniques are often underutilized or unexplored by the catalysis community due to various perceived and real barriers. Since its establishment in 2005, the Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium (SCC) has coordinated significant efforts to promote the utilization of synchrotron techniques for catalytic research under in-situ conditions, primarily using facilities at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The primary objectives of the research activities are aimed to provide assistance, and to develop new sciences and techniques, for the catalysis community through the following concerted efforts: (1) providing assistance to catalysis users to ensure that the experiments are performed safely and correctly; (2) designing in-situ reactors for a variety of catalytic and electrocatalytic studies; (3) assisting experimental set-up and data analysis via a dedicated research scientist; and (4) offering training courses and help sessions. These tasks will be performed by a consortium consisting of researchers with extensive experience in the areas of catalysis, electrocatalysis and synchrotron techniques. The availability of well-maintained, user-friendly and state-of-the-art synchrotron facilities should help a large number of catalysis and electrocatalysis groups in their efforts to perform cutting-edge beamline research. The close interactions should lead to more efficient utilization of the synchrotron facilities, which ultimately benefits the nation as a whole by increasing the return on the investments made in our national laboratory system.