Japan and France launch environmental catalysis research network
A new international research network has been set up to further investigate the catalytic processes used to reduce air pollution and water contamination. Dubbed ECSAW (Environmental catalysis for sustaining clean air and water), the network is a collaborative venture between the French National Scientific Research Centre (CNRS) and the National Japanese Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). Several French universities are also involved in the network, which will build upon the 10 years of collaboration in this field between French and Japanese research teams. Environmental catalysis refers to the development of catalysts to either decompose environmentally unacceptable compounds or provide alternative catalytic syntheses of important compounds without the formation of environmentally unacceptable by-products. Catalysts can help, for example, to remove all sorts of emissions from the air and impurities from water. They are expected to play an important role in creating new, cleaner and more sustainable production processes for high-polluting sectors such as the chemicals industry. Over the next four years, researchers from both countries will focus on: - reducing of NOx (nitrogen oxides); - new fuels for fuel cells; - decontaminating air and water by photocatalysis; - green chemistry.
Countries
France, Japan