Light May Recast Copper As Chemical Industry 'Holy Grail'

Light may recast copper as chemical industry 'holy grail'

The test reactor holds the catalyst in a tiny circular bed and exposes it to propylene and oxygen gasses. When the reactor is closed, a light shines down from the top, allowing the copper to keep the oxygen from binding to its surface. The copper can instead bind the propylene to the oxygen, forming the industrially important chemical propylene oxide. Photo: Joseph Xu, Michigan Engineering Communications & Marketing.