A multicell holder e.g., a honeycomb or plate, or a collection of individual support particles, is treated with solutions/suspensions of catalyst ingredients to produce cells, spots or pellets holding each of a variety of combinations of the ingredients, is dried, calcined or treated as necessary to stabilize the ingredients in the cells, spots or pellets, then is contacted with a potentially reactive feed stream or batch e.g., biochemical, gas oil, hydrogen plus oxygen, propylene plus oxygen, CCl2F2 and hydrogen, etc. The reaction occurring in each cell can be measured, e.g. by infrared thermography, spectroscopic detection of products or residual reactants, or by sampling, e.g. by multistreaming through low volume tubing, from the vicinity of each combination, followed by analysis e.g. spectral analysis, chromatography etc, or by observing temperature change in the vicinity of the catalyst e.g. by thermographic techniques, to determine the relative efficacy of the catalysts in each combination. Robotic techniques can be employed in producing the cells, spots, pellets, etc.

Methods and apparatus for the preparation and use of a substrate having an array of diverse materials in predefined regions thereon. A substrate having an array of diverse materials thereon is generally prepared by delivering components of materials to predefined regions on a substrate, and simultaneously reacting the components to form at least two materials. Materials which can be prepared using the methods and apparatus of the present invention include, for example, covalent network solids, ionic solids and molecular solids. More particularly, materials which can be prepared using the methods and apparatus of the present invention include, for example, inorganic materials, intermetallic materials, metal alloys, ceramic materials, organic materials, organometallic materials, non-biological organic polymers, composite materials (e.g., inorganic composites, organic composites, or combinations thereof), etc. Once prepared, these materials can be screened for useful properties including, for example, electrical, thermal, mechanical, morphological, optical, magnetic, chemical, or other properties. Thus, the present invention provides methods for the parallel synthesis and analysis of novel materials having useful properties.

Methods for evaluating catalysts, in which a multicell holder, e.g., a honeycomb or plate, or a collection of individual support particles, is treated with solutions/suspensions of catalyst ingredients to produce cells, spots or pellets holding each of a variety of combinations of the ingredients, is dried, calcined or treated as necessary to stabilize the ingredients in the cells, spots or pellets, then is contacted with a potentially reactive feed stream or batch, e.g., biochemical, gas oil, hydrogen plus oxygen, propylene plus oxygen, CCl.sub.2 F.sub.2 and hydrogen, etc. The reaction occurring in each cell can be measured, e.g., by infrared thermography, spectroscopic detection of products or residual reactants, or by sampling, e.g., multistreaming through low volume tubing, from the vicinity of each combination, followed by analysis, e.g., spectral analysis, chromatography, etc., or by observing temperature change in the vicinity of the catalyst, e.g., by thermographic techniques, to determine the relative efficacy of the catalysts in each combination. Robotic techniques can be employed in producing the cells, spots, pellets, etc.

Apparatus for testing catalyst candidates including a multi-cell holder e.g. a honeycomb or plate, or a collection of individual support particles that have been treated with solutions/suspensions of catalyst ingredients to produce cells, spots or pellets holding each of a variety of combinations of the ingredients and dried, calcined or treated as necessary to stabilize the ingredients in the cells, spots or pellets. The apparatus also includes structure for contacting the catalyst candidates with a potentially reactive feed stream or batch e.g., biochemical, gas oil, hydrogen plus oxygen, propylene plus oxygen, CCl.sub.2 F.sub.2 and hydrogen, etc. The reaction occurring in each cell can be measured, e.g. by infrared thermography, spectroscopic detection of products or residual reactants, or by sampling, e.g. by multistreaming through low volume tubing, from the vicinity of each combination, followed by analysis e.g. spectral analysis, chromatography etc., or by observing temperature change in the vicinity of the catalyst e.g. by thermographic techniques, to determine the relative efficacy of the catalysts in each combination. Robotic techniques can be employed in producing the cells, spots, pellets, etc.

Methods and apparatus for the preparation and use of a substrate having an array of diverse materials in predefined regions thereon. A substrate having an array of diverse materials thereon is generally prepared by delivering components of materials to predefined regions on a substrate, and simultaneously reacting the components to form at least two materials. Materials which can be prepared using the methods and apparatus of the present invention include, for example, covalent network solids, ionic solids and molecular solids. More particularly, materials which can be prepared using the methods and apparatus of the present invention include, for example, inorganic materials, intermetallic materials, metal alloys, ceramic materials, organic materials, organometallic materials, non-biological organic polymers, composite materials (e.g., inorganic composites, organic composites, or combinations thereof), etc. Once prepared, these materials can be screened for useful properties including, for example, electrical, thermal, mechanical, morphological, optical, magnetic, chemical, or other properties. Thus, the present invention provides methods for the parallel synthesis and analysis of novel materials having useful properties.