The starting point for this project is the commonly used and established methods of synthesizing powdered catalysts. These methods suffer from low quality, high complexity and limited economic viability. Catalysts in general consist of a support with large surface area on which catalytically active nanoparticles are deposited. On these nanoparticles chemical reactions can proceed at increased velocity. Catalysts are important for many chemical processes. For example, they enable the exhaust gas treatment in passenger cars and powerplants, which supplies people with clean and healthy air. They are also used for the synthesis of ammonia, which in the end leads to adequate agricultural yields.

In this respect, the Apollon project presents an approach to solving the disadvantageous problems of conventional catalyst syntheses yielding higher quality catalysts with a versatile composition, whose production is easily and fast scalable. In Apollon, a novel coating apparatus for the synthesis of powdered catalysts and a process for its operation is being developed, for which a joint patent application has been filed.

The process consists of two stages: The first stage provides a carrier gas stream enriched with nanoparticles. In the second step, this stream is fed directly into the coating apparatus. The coating apparatus essentially comprises a housing with a feed for the carrier gas and a transport device for circulating the catalyst support introduced. An analysis has shown that there are numerous constructive tasks to improve this apparatus. From a process engineering point of view, many aspects such as the loading of nanoparticles in the carrier gas flow are also to be investigated in this project. An essential part of the project will be the analysis of the coating quality, e.g. by means of electron microscopy.