Homogeneous catalysis Homogeneous catalysis In chemistry, homogeneous catalysis is catalysis in a solution by a soluble catalyst. Homogeneous catalysis refers to catalytic reactions where the catalyst is in the same phase as the reactants. Homogeneous catalysis applies to reactions in the gas phase and even in solids. Heterogeneous catalysis is the alternative to homogeneous catalysis, where the catalysis occurs at the interface of two phases, typically gas-solid. The term is used almost exclusively to describe solutions and often implies catalysis by organometallic compounds. The area is one of intense research and many practical applications, e.g., the production of acetic acid. Enzymes are
Explosive boiling or phase explosion Explosive boiling or phase explosion In thermodynamics, explosive boiling or phase explosion is a method whereby a superheated metastable liquid undergoes an explosive liquid-vapor phase transition into a stable two-phase state because of a massive homogeneous nucleation of vapor bubbles. This concept was pioneered by M. M. Martynyuk in 1976 and then later advanced by Fucke and Seydel. Explosive boiling can be best described by a p-T phase diagram. Figure on right shows a typical p-T phase diagram of a substance. The binodal line or the coexistence curve is a thermodynamic state where at that specific temperature and pressure, liquid