Catalysts are essentially boosters that increase the rate of a chemical reaction, and are widely used in the fields of petroleum refining, coal and natural gas conversion, and ammonia production, to name a few. Catalysts also drive emerging battery and fuel cell technology, which is usually (thermally or electrically) energy-intensive, thus requiring catalysis to reduce the reaction temperature, pressure, or electrochemical over-potentials.
Click here for original story, High temperature thermal shocks increase stability of single-atom catalysts
Source: Phys.org