Catalysis and Biocatalysis

The Catalysis and Biocatalysis program primarily supports fundamental and innovative applied research on the following topics:Kinetics and mechanisms of important catalyzed chemical reactions as they relate to the production of chemicals, fuels, and specialized materialsCharacterization of chemical and biochemical phenomena occurring at or near solid surfaces and interfacesKinetic modeling and theory of heterogeneous, homogeneous, and biocatalysisFundamental catalytic or biocatalytic studies of the processes for conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicalsSynthesis of novel compositions and structures for use in heterogeneous, homogeneous or biocatalystsElectrocatalytic processes having engineering significance or commercial potential, particularly for fuel cell applicationsFundamental aspects of reactive deposition and processing for thin film materials This program promotes multidisciplinary research in all of the above areas.Typical research topics include:Catalytic conversion of biorenewables to fuels or chemicalsEnvironmentally beneficial chemical process alternativesUltra selective reactions and catalysts for fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemical productsCatalyst design for reaction engineering of chemical, photo-, electro-, and bio-catalytic processesSynthesis and characterization of novel catalytic structures for chemical conversions from the atomic through the nanoscale Mechanisms and kinetics of reactions at solid surfaces and at interfaces (gas-solid, liquid-solid including aqueous-solid)Ab initio and semiempirical kinetic theory and dynamic simulation of complex reactionsUtilization of new catalysts for producing nanomaterialsUtilization of catalytic materials in sensors, electronic devices, coatings; incorporation of components from the nano to micron scaleMaterials and mechanisms in electrocatalysis and fuel cell applications Proposals should address the novelty of the concept being proposed, compared to previous work in the field. Also, it is important to address why the novelty might be important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and /or industry of success in the research. The information requested in this paragraph should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited awards is generally one to three years. The average annual award size for the program is $100,000. Small equipment proposals of less than $100,000 will also be considered and may be submitted during these windows. Any proposal received outside the announced dates will be returned without review.The duration of CAREER awards is five years. The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Please see the following URL for more information: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08051/nsf08051.jsp.Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements may be submitted at any time, but must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) and EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) replace the SGER program. Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission. Further details are available in the PAPPG download, available below. Please refer to the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), January 2010, (NSF 10-1) when you prepare your proposal. The PAPPG is available for download at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf101