Dr. Henrik Topsøe has been selected as the winner of the 2010 Distinguished Researcher Award from The Petroleum Chemistry Division of American Chemical Society (ACS). The award recognizes Dr. Henrik Topsøe for his outstanding research contributions to the understanding of hydrotreating catalysts. These catalysts are essential for the production of ultra clean transportation fuels.
The announcement from ACS emphasizes that the quest for a molecular and atomic scale understanding of catalytic reactions has been a continuous theme through Dr. Topsøe’s research. To achieve this understanding, Dr. Topsøe and his colleagues and collaborators have developed several novel multidisciplinary techniques and approaches based on fundamental science. Special efforts have been devoted to the development of new tools and in situ approaches which provide the necessary atomic and molecular insight under relevant conditions. Particular emphasis has been placed on developing improved hydrotreating catalysts as well as catalysts for ammonia synthesis, methanol synthesis and NOx removal.
These atomic-scale, in-situ studies were the first to reveal the nature of the active catalytic structures — the so-called Co-Mo-S family of promoted structures. Later studies have provided additional atomic insight into these structures, which been used by the refining industry worldwide for many improved generations of catalysts – the latest being Topsøe’s BRIMcatalysts, used for the production of ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD).
Dr. Topsøe has co-authored 180 publications, three books and has given more than 140 invited lectures and is CEO of Haldor Topsøe Holding A/S and executive vice president at Haldor Topsøe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com).