Kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations still represent a quite new area of research, with a rapidly growing number of publications. Broadly speaking, kMC can be applied to any system describable as a set of minima of a potential-energy surface, the evolution of which will then be regarded as hops from one minimum to a neighboring one. The hops in kMC are modeled as stochastic processes and the algorithms use random numbers to determine at which times the hops occur and to which neighboring minimum they go. Sometimes this approach is also called dynamic MC or Stochastic Simulation Algorithm, in particular when it is applied to solving macroscopic rate equations. This book has two objectives. First, it is a primer on the kMC method (predominantly using the lattice-gas model) and thus much of the book will also be useful for applications other than to surface reactions. Second, it is intended to teach the reader what can be learned from kMC simulations of surface reaction kinetics. With these goals in mind, the present text is conceived as a self-contained introduction for students and non-specialist researchers alike who are interested in entering the field and learning about the topic from scratch.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2007 awarded to Gerhard Ertl for his groundbreaking studies in surface chemistry highlighted the importance of heterogeneous catalysis not only for modern chemical industry but also for environmental protection. Heterogeneous catalysis is seen as one of the key technologies which could solve the challenges associated with the increasing diversification of raw materials and energy sources. It is the decisive step in most chemical industry processes, a major method of reducing pollutant emissions from mobile sources and is present in fuel cells to produce electricity. The increasing power of computers over the last decades has led to modeling and numerical simulation becoming valuable tools in heterogeneous catalysis. This book covers many aspects, from the state-of-the-art in modeling and simulations of heterogeneous catalytic reactions on a molecular level to heterogeneous catalytic reactions from an engineering perspective. This first book on the topic conveys expert knowledge from surface science to both chemists and engineers interested in heterogeneous catalysis. The well-known and international authors comprehensively present many aspects of the wide bridge between surface science and catalytic technologies, including DFT calculations, reaction dynamics on surfaces, Monte Carlo simulations, heterogeneous reaction rates, reactions in porous media, electro-catalytic reactions, technical reactors, and perspectives of chemical and automobile industry on modeling heterogeneous catalysis. The result is a one-stop reference for theoretical and physical chemists, catalysis researchers, materials scientists, chemical engineers, and chemists in industry who would like to broaden their horizon and get a substantial overview on the different aspects of modeling and simulation of heterogeneous catalytic reactions.

This book teaches modern Markov chain Monte Carlo (MC) simulation techniques step by step. The material should be accessible to advanced undergraduate students and is suitable for a course. It ranges from elementary statistics concepts (the theory behind MC simulations), through conventional Metropolis and heat bath algorithms, autocorrelations and the analysis of the performance of MC algorithms, to advanced topics including the multicanonical approach, cluster algorithms and parallel computing. Therefore, it is also of interest to researchers in the field. The book relates the theory directly to Web-based computer code. This allows readers to get quickly started with their own simulations and to verify many numerical examples easily. The present code is in Fortran 77, for which compilers are freely available. The principles taught are important for users of other programming languages, like C or C++.

In the past 12 years since its publication, Concepts of Modern Catalysis and Kinetics has become a standard textbook for graduate students at universities worldwide. Emphasizing fundamentals from thermodynamics, physical chemistry, spectroscopy, solid state chemistry and quantum chemistry, it introduces catalysis from a molecular perspective, and stresses how it is interwoven with the field of reaction kinetics. The authors go on to explain how the world of reacting molecules is connected to the real world of industry, by discussing the various scales (nano - micro - macro) that play a role in catalysis. Reflecting the modern-day focus on energy supplies, this third edition devotes attention to such processes as gas-to-liquids, coal-to-liquids, biomass conversion and hydrogen production. From reviews of the prior editions: 'Overall, this is a valuable book that I will use in teaching undergraduates and postgraduates.' (Angewandte Chemie - I. E.) '...this excellent book is highly recommended to students at technical universities, but also entrants in chemical industry. Furthermore, this informative handbook is also a must for all professionals in the community.' (AFS) 'I am impressed by the coverage of the book and it is a valuable addition to the catalysis literature and I highly recommend purchase' (Energy Sources)

Reaction Rate Theory and Rare Events bridges the historical gap between these subjects because the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of scientific research often requires an understanding of both reaction rate theory and the theory of other rare events. The book discusses collision theory, transition state theory, RRKM theory, catalysis, diffusion limited kinetics, mean first passage times, Kramers theory, Grote-Hynes theory, transition path theory, non-adiabatic reactions, electron transfer, and topics from reaction network analysis. It is an essential reference for students, professors and scientists who use reaction rate theory or the theory of rare events. In addition, the book discusses transition state search algorithms, tunneling corrections, transmission coefficients, microkinetic models, kinetic Monte Carlo, transition path sampling, and importance sampling methods. The unified treatment in this book explains why chemical reactions and other rare events, while having many common theoretical foundations, often require very different computational modeling strategies. - Offers an integrated approach to all simulation theories and reaction network analysis, a unique approach not found elsewhere - Gives algorithms in pseudocode for using molecular simulation and computational chemistry methods in studies of rare events - Uses graphics and explicit examples to explain concepts - Includes problem sets developed and tested in a course range from pen-and-paper theoretical problems, to computational exercises

Written by one of the world's leading experts on the topic, this advanced textbook is the perfect introduction for newcomers to this exciting field. Concise and clear, the text focuses on such key aspects as kinetics, reaction mechanism and surface reactivity, concentrating on the essentials. The author also covers various catalytic systems, catalysis by design, and activation-deactivation. A website with supplementary material offers additional figures, original material and references.