NMR spectroscopy is now a well-established technique for the in situ study
of surface chemistry and the chemical processes occurring during catalytic
reactions. Developments in probe design are making the sample environments
ever closer to the operating conditions of the catalyst in industrial use.
In parallel with these advances there is an increasing interest in the appl
ication of field gradient magnetic resonance techniques, namely pulsed grad
ient spin echo (PGSE) NMR and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to in situ
studies of mass transport processes in catalysts and reactors. An overview
of the recent developments in in situ NMR spectroscopy, PGSE NMR and MRI st
udies in application to catalysis and reaction engineering is presented and
the potential of these techniques in the numerical modelling of catalytic
processes and reactor design is highlighted.