A Johnson Matthey official has been commended for his innovative use of catalysis in the automotive industry.

Chief Scientist Martyn Twigg was handed the Applied Catalysis Award 2010, designed to recognise "creativity and excellence in novel approaches or use of catalysis in industry".

The Royal Society of Chemistry Prizes and Awards judges noted that Mr Twigg is playing a "pivotal" role in the platinum refiner's attempts to advance the catalytic processes market.

Mr Twigg joined the firm in 1992 and has fronted the development and commercialisation of key emissions control technologies, such as thermally durable catalysts for gasoline engines and sulphur tolerant diesel oxidation catalysts.

He was also prominent in the release of Johnson Matthey's compact catalysed soot filter, which has drastically simplified catalysis in the engines of diesel cars.

The product oxidises hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide during normal driving and periodically generates high-temperature exotherms for controlled combustion of retained soot.

This has effectively allowed the small filter to replace several larger components and the design has won widespread recognition, including two Queen's Awards.

Mr Twigg has authored or co-authored more than 200 research and review papers, while also co-authoring books on transition metal mediated organic syntheses and catalytic carbonylation.

He has edited volumes such as the Catalyst Handbook, currently co-edits the Fundamental and Applied Catalysis series and has 150 published patent families on catalysts and catalytic processes.

Johnson Matthey was founded in 1817 when Percival Norton Johnson set up a gold assayer business in London.

Source:



Royal Society of Chemistry Applied Catalysis Award 2010 Winner: Martyn Twigg, Johnson Matthey

© Adfero Ltd