Adsorption
 		 The adhesion, in an extremely thin layer of molecules, of one material to the surface of another. Our family of adsorbents and absorbents can selectively attract materials that our customers want isolated — for example, impurities in vegetable and motor oils.

 
Catalyst
 		 A substance that initiates a chemical reaction and enables it to proceed under different conditions (as at a lower temperature or faster rate) than otherwise possible. The catalyst itself is not consumed, but continues to perform its function in subsequent reactions. Typically we use Engelhard's environmental catalysts are used to initiate the breakdown of pollutants into their harmless elements, as when catalytic converters turn hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides coming from cars into carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water vapor. Our petroleum catalysts transform crude oil molecules into gasoline and other fuel products. Customers in many different chemical-production processes use our chemical catalysts. The catalysts improve yield, cost-efficiency and environmental control.

 
Molecular Sieve
 		 A crystaline, porous, molecular structure that selectively adsorbs or rejects molecules based on differences in molecular size or shape. We use zeolites, one class of molecular sieves, in desiccant, catalyst and separation technologies.

 
Zeolite
 		 A natural or synthetic inorganic molecular structure used in adsorbent, catalyst and separation technologies.