Catalysts are chemicals that speed up the rate of reactions. On their own, many reactions would take a long time for completion. Catalysts provide alternate pathways with lower activation energy, thus increasing the rate of reaction. Catalysts find several uses in industry these days:
- Petrochemical industry: uses various catalysts for polymerization, oxidation, organic synthesis, hydrogenations hydrogenation reactions, etc.
- Sulfuric acid production is carried out by using a catalyst, vanadium oxide. This acid is used in several industries for manufacturing of batteries, detergents, plastics, etc.
- Ammonia production for fertilizer industry uses iron oxide, as a catalyst
- Catalytic converters in our automobiles also make use of catalysts- platinum and palladium, for converting exhaust gases to more inert forms, thus reducing the air pollution.
Several other industrial applications are also there.
Hope this helps.
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