Catalysis and Biocatalysis

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Apply to PD 10-1401 in FastLane. (standard Grant Proposal Guidelines) apply.)

Please be advised that the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) includes revised guidelines to implement the mentoring provisions of the America COMPETES Act (ACA) (Pub. L. No. 110-69, Aug. 9, 2007.) As specified in the ACA, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals. Proposals that do not comply with this requirement will be returned without review (see the PAPP Guide Part I: Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II for further information about the implementation of this new requirement).

DUE DATES

Full Proposal Window:  August 15, 2009 - September 17, 2009

Full Proposal Window:  February 1, 2010 - March 3, 2010

SYNOPSIS

The Catalysis and Biocatalysis program primarily supports fundamental and applied research on:

• Kinetics and mechanisms of important catalyzed chemical reactions as they relate to the production of chemicals, fuels, and specialized materials

• Fundamental aspects of reactive deposition and processing for thin film materials

• Characterization of chemical and biochemical phenomena occurring at or near solid surfaces and interfaces

• Kinetic modeling and theory of heterogeneous, homogeneous, and biocatalysis

• Electrocatalytic processes having engineering significance or commercial potential

This program promotes multidisciplinary research in all of the above areas.

Typical research topics include:

• Synthesis and characterization of novel catalytic structures from the atomic through the nanoscale for chemical conversions

• Mechanisms and kinetics of reactions at solid surfaces and at interfaces (gas-solid, liquid-solid including aqueous-solid)

• Ab initio and semiempirical kinetic theory and dynamic simulation of complex reactions

• Utilization of catalytic materials in sensors, electronic devices, coatings; incorporation of components from the nano to micron scale

• Catalyst design for reaction engineering of chemical, photo-, electro-, and bio-catalytic processes

• Environmentally beneficial chemical process alternatives

• Catalytic conversion of biorenewables

• Utilization of new catalysts for producing nanomaterials

• Ultra selective reactions and catalysts for fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemical products

The duration of unsolicited awards is generally one to three years.  The average annual award size for the program is $100,000.  Small equipment proposals of less than $100,000 will also be considered and may be submitted during these windows.  Any proposal received outside the announced dates will be returned without review.

The duration of CAREER awards is five years.  The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year.  Please see the following URL for more information: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08051/nsf08051.jsp.

Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements may be submitted at any time, but must be discussed with the program director before submission.

Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) and EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) replace the SGER program.  Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.  Further details are available in the PAPPG download, available below. 

Please refer to the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), January 2009, (NSF 09-1) when you prepare your proposal.  The PAPPG is available for download at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf0929.

THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF

Chemical, Biochemical, and Biotechnology Systems

Abstracts of Recent Awards Made Through This Program

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