The Ex-situ reactor for characterizing catalyst materials

		Reactor with specimen holder that protects specimen from room atmosphere

Reactor design features:

• Reactions at atmospheric pressure
• Temperatures up to 1200°C
• Handles a variety of corrosive gases
• Specimen transferred to and from the Hitachi HF-2000 FE-TEM without exposure to atmosphere
• Full resolution of microscope routinely achieved using specimen holder designed to protect specimen from room air
• Same sample regions may be observed repeatedly in the TEM with gas exposures in between

		Reactor with vacuum and gas handling system in place for a specimen transfer to the Hitachi HF-2000 FE-TEM

Design philosophy:

• This reactor addresses the need to be able to determine microstructural changes at the atomic level that result from gas exposures similar to what real emission reduction catalysts see (atmospheric pressure and elevated temperature). Transfer between the reactor and microscope is accomplished without exposure to room air.
• The ex-situ reactor was designed and built by Will Bigelow, professor emeritus of the University of Michigan, and Larry Allard of the Materials Analysis staff.