Welcome to the website of the "Catalysis" group of Chemistry Department of Patras University.

The now emeritus Professor Dr. Alexis Lycourghiotis established the group at 1983 and directed it officially until 2014. The team focused its research interest in the synthesis, physicochemical characterization and evaluation of solid supported catalysts with high dispersion of the supported phases used for environmental protection as well as for renewable energy and green products production. In this context the following are the main achievements of the group:

• The development of an innovative catalyst preparation technique called “Equilibrium Deposition Filtration" (EDF).
• The discovering of two modern methods (“potentiometric mass titrations”, “differential potentiometric titrations”) frequently used now-days for the determination of the point of zero charge (pzc) of solids.  
• The discovering of the mechanism of protonation of solid materials in aqueous suspensions.
• The discovering of the mechanism of deposition of chemical species of catalytically active ions at “support/aqueous solutions interface” allowing the scientific synthesis of solid supported catalysts.
• The joint use of surface and interface science for a deeper understanding of catalyst preparation.
• The utilization of the above for the successful application of preparation techniques (EDF, co-precipitation, deposition-precipitation, incipient wetness impregnation, wet-impregnation) in the synthesis of very active and selective catalysts for:

• The environmental protection: hydrodesulphurization of petroleum fractions, selective reduction of nitrogen oxides with ammonia, photocatalytic degradation of pollutants.
• The production of biofuels through upgrading of fatty materials to green diesel.
• The preparation high value-added products from biomass: production of synthesis gas from biogas and utilization of terpenes.