how do catalysts help in green chemistry?
Catalysts allow more efficient conversion of products in irreversible reactions, or they allow for the faster attainment of equilibrium in equilibrium reactions, thereby reducing time, raw material waste and emissions. Also, because catalysts are reusable, they can be recycled.
Catalysts reduce the energy barrier for reactions, meaning they require less energy to make the forward reaction go. This means less heat, light, or other energy sources are required to perform the same reaction without a catalyst. Also, by definition, a catalyst is not consumed in a reaction and can therefore be recycled many many times before replacement is necessary.
