Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Mechanocat (Using milling balls as catalysts – Understanding the novel concept of direct mechanocatalysis)
Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2023-10-31
We believe direct mechanocatalysis to be ground-breaking as it involves reactants that can hardly be brought into reaction via conventional approaches because of low solubility or limited stability in solution. Our solid-state approach will be fundamentally different from the conventional solution-based procedures, and we foresee new reactions to be possible. This approach is highly sustainable as it makes the use of any solvent obsolete and may develop to a new type of catalysis due to the exceptionally facile catalyst separation after synthesis; simply taking the milling ball out of the vessel.
Secondly, we developed a methodology for Coating of Milling Equipment. - The introduction of this technique proved to be a gamechanger in the field. By applying a thin layer of a catalytically active material onto cheap steel milling balls, the catalytic activity remains unchanged while significantly reducing costs. This breakthrough not only enables more cost-effective catalytic processes but also extends the applicability of the method. Complex structures, such as milling vessels, can now be made catalytically active through the coating process, further expanding the range of potential applications and catalytic transformations.