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International audience; Zeolite-based catalysts are globally employed in many industrial processes, such as in crude-oil refining and in the production of bulk chemicals. However, to be implemented in industrial reactors efficiently, zeolite powders are required to be shaped in catalyst bodies. Scale-up of zeolite catalysts into such forms comes with side effects to its overall physicochem-ical properties and to those of its constituting components. Although fundamental research into "technical" solid catalysts is scarce, binder effects have been reported to significantly impact their catalytic properties and lifetime. Given the large number of additional (in)organic components added in the formulation, it is somehow surprising to see that there is a distinct lack of research into the unintentional impact organic additives can have on the properties of the zeolite and the catalyst bodies in general. Here, we systematically prepared a series of alumina-bound zeolite ZSM-5-based catalyst bodies, with organic additives such as peptizing, plasticizing, and lubricating agents, to rationalize their impacts on the physicochemical properties of the shaped catalyst bodies. By utilizing a carefully selected arsenal of bulk and high-spatial resolution multiscale characterization techniques, as well as specifically sized bioinspired fluorescent nanoprobes to study pore accessibility, we clearly show that, although the organic additives achieve their primary function of a mechanically robust material, uncontrolled processes are taking place in parallel. We reveal that the extrusion process can lead to zeolite dealumination (from acid peptizing treatment, and localized steaming upon calcination); meso-and macropore structural rearrangement (via burning-out of organic plasticizing and lubricating agents upon calcination); and abating of known alumina binder effects (via scavenging of Al species via chelating lubricating agents), which significantly impact catalytic performance. Understanding the mechanisms behind such effects in industrial-grade catalyst formulations can lead to enhanced design of these important materials, which can improve process efficiency in a vast range of industrial catalytic reactions.

Ziegler‐Natta catalysts for olefin polymerization are intrinsically complex multi‐component systems. The genesis of the active sites involves several simultaneous and sequential steps, making the individual steps and interconnections difficult to be unraveled in an unambiguous manner. In this work, we combine X‐ray diffraction and spectroscopy to probe each step of the birth and life of a MgCl2‐based Ziegler‐Natta catalyst, namely the formation of high surface area MgCl2 by dealcoholation of an alcoholate precursor, the TiCl4 grafting, and the subsequent activation by triethylaluminum as co‐catalyst. The so‐prepared catalyst was tested towards ethylene polymerization, leading to the production of mainly crystalline high‐density polyethylene. The use of operando characterization techniques allowed probing the transient details that are difficult to be dissected in the aftermath, but can radically affect the overall catalytic process.

Microspores were isolated from pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) anthers by using a micro-blender and cultured in modified NLN medium at . The influence of pretreatment period at , adding the 2-hydroxynicotinic acid to a pretreatment medium, and co-pretreatment anthers with microscopes on the induction of embryo were examined. Globular and torpedo embryos were observed from 3 weeks after culture. Embryo development was not synchronized within culture. After 4 weeks in culture, in addition to globular and torpedo embryos, cotyledonary embryos were observed. Normal cotylodonary embryos developed into plantlets when transferred to a solid hormone free B5 medium containing sucrose. Embryo yields were significantly higher after 1- and 2-day pretreatment at . However the development of embryo ceased at the globular or heart stage. In contrast, embryo yields were lower after 3- to 6-day pretreatment at and embryo developed at the cotyledonary stage. After adding the 2-hydroxynicotinic acid to anther pretreatment solution, embryo yields were slightly increased. However most embryos occurred were at the globular or heart stage. Co-pretreatment of microspores with anthers was deleterious for embryo induction and development. AS far as we know, this is the first report of success in obtaining high frequency of embryogenesis and plantlets formation from isolated microspores of pepper. Although the culture conditions have to be optimized further, this promising microspore culture system can be used for genetic transformation, selection for dominant and recessive traits as well as for the production of homozygous doubled haploid plants.