Synthetic structured body, catalyst, and use of said catalyst

Abstract

A synthetic structured body (1) comprising longitudinal through-channels (2) extending along a body axis (X); wherein inner surfaces (3) of said synthetic structured body (1) delimiting at least part of one or more longitudinal through-channel(s) (2) are shaped as lateral faces (4) of at least one scutoid (5A), or of at least one prismatoid (5.B), or of at least one pyramidal frustum (6).

Description

[0001] “Synthetic structured body, catalyst, and use of said catalyst’

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] Field of invention

[0004] The present invention relates to heterogeneous catalysis and, in particular, to supports or carriers for a catalytically active substance.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] It is known to use monoliths for supporting metals or other catalytically active substances for performing chemical reactions. With respect to packed beds, such monoliths ensure - inter alia - a larger surface area and higher heat transfer performances.

[0007] Honeycomb supports are monoliths that are widespread due to their cost- effective manufacturing by extrusion and versatility of use. However, these supports suffer from the following drawbacks:

[0008] (i) unsatisfactory surface area per volume honeycomb;

[0009] (ii) inhomogeneous and / or limited heat distribution inside honeycomb channels;

[0010] (iii) insufficient mixing between reagents, and consequent risk of reagent slipping.

[0011] In view of these considerations, it would be highly desirable to develop an alternative support with a higher surface area than honeycomb supports, capable of improving heat distribution within the support and reagent mixing.

[0012] WO 2017 / 192042 A1 and the following documents belong to the known art:

[0013] - Do Giang et al: "Additive manufacturing of interpenetrating periodic open cellular structures (interPOCS) with in operando adjustable flow characteristics", CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND PROCESSING: PROCESS INTENSIFICATION, ELSEVIER SEQUOIA, LAUSANNE, CH, vol. 148 (XP086024957);

[0014] - Oscar Santoliquido et al: "Additive manufacturing of periodic ceramic substrates for automotive catalyst supports", INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, MALDEN, MA, US, vol. 14, no. 6, pages 1164-1173 (XP072312877).

[0015] Summary of the invention

[0016] Scope of the present invention is overcoming the above drawbacks of the prior art. The judicious insight of the present inventors is that tortuosity of a flow path can be increased by shaping the channels with non-constant cross sections while preserving uniaxial flow. This flow path with variable cross section leads, among others, to an improved mixing of gaseous reagents in the channels.

[0017] Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is a synthetic structured body comprising longitudinal through-channels extending along a body axis, wherein inner surfaces of said synthetic structured body delimiting at least part of one or more longitudinal through-channel(s) are shaped as lateral faces of at least one scutoid, or of at least one prismatoid, or of at least a pyramidal frustum.

[0018] A further aspect of the present invention is a catalyst comprising said synthetic structured body and a catalytically active substance coating at least part of said synthetic structured body. In such catalyst, the synthetic structured body is support or carrier of the catalytically active substance. In multiphase catalysts, the catalytically active substance is often present as a minor component dispersed upon a support sometimes called a carrier. The support may be catalytically inert but it may contribute to the overall catalytic activity.

[0019] A still further aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing said catalyst, said method comprising the following steps: (I) provision of said synthetic structured body; (II) coating, e.g. slurry coating, of the synthetic structured body of step (I) with a coating agent comprising a catalytically active substance; (III) optionally drying of the product of step (II).

[0020] Another aspect of the present invention is a use of said catalyst for performing an endothermic reaction, wherein said synthetic structured body is at least partially made of an electrically conductive material.

[0021] Still another aspect of the present invention is a use of said catalyst for performing an exothermic reaction.

[0022] Still another aspect of the present invention is a use of said catalyst for adsorbing a target substance in a gaseous stream, preferably in a selective manner, and, optionally, for desorbing at least part of said target substance from the catalyst loaded with said target substance.

[0023] Advantageous effects of the present invention.

[0024] The invention has the following advantages.

[0025] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention is designed to achieve low temperature gradient across the reactor wall, with a consequence to increase the lifetime of the reactor due to reduced thermal stresses with respect to conventional monoliths.

[0026] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention allows to reduce the volume of the catalytic bed. A compact design of the catalytic bed has positive consequences both on CAPEX and OPEX.

[0027] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention can be tailored on specific processes or reactions. In other words, many features (such as channel shape, channel size, wall thickness, volume, porosity, specific surface, cell size and / or cell height, residence time and / or gas velocity of the reagents in specific zones of the body, or any combination of such features) can be adjusted to exploit improved performances. Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention can be produced with geometries that cannot be extruded, e.g. with specific geometries of the body and / or of the channels that can improve any of its features.

[0028] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention can promote a turbulent flow, if desired.

[0029] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention are characterized by enhanced heat and mass transfer, thus allowing to achieve an improved catalytic performance and a reduced reagent slip.

[0030] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention has pressure drop values that are comparable to traditional honeycomb monoliths.

[0031] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention can be brought to a larger scale by numbering up, i.e. by replicating a unit cell as much as necessary. This multiplication of the unit cell avoids any problem encountered with scaling-up of a body to a larger scale, and improves load flexibility because the number of unit cells can be selected according to specific contingencies, e.g., according to the flow to be processed and / or following a profile of available energy.

[0032] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention can be used for Joule heating, i.e. heating produced by electric current flowing into an electrically conductive material as a result of resistance.

[0033] Advantageously, Joule heating allows intensification of the reaction, in a smaller equipment, which may be used for distributed production.

[0034] Advantageously, the synthetic structured body of the present invention has a much lower thermal inertia than thermal inertia of fire heated systems.

[0035] Advantageously, slurry coating in the method of manufacturing according to the present invention is considered to be a satisfactory compromise between costs, times, and effectiveness. Advantageously, the mirror symmetric arrangement here described allows increasing the surface area within the longitudinal through-channel(s).

[0036] Advantageously, Si-SiC is suitable in oxidizing atmospheres at high temperatures thanks to the passivating effect of the silica scale formed during exposure. It does not only protects against further oxidation, but also against corrosion by other gaseous species.

[0037] Advantageously, an electrified synthetic structured body allows to use renewable energy sources, avoiding pollutants emissions.

[0038] Advantageously, the longitudinal slit is provided for forcing the current to follow a U-shaped path along the structure.

[0039] Description of the preferred embodiments

[0040] In the present description, expressions like “axial”, “coaxial”, or “radial” will be used with reference to the body axis X, unless otherwise specified.

[0041] Preferably, said inner surfaces 3 delimiting one or more of said longitudinal through-channel(s) 2 are shaped as lateral faces 4 of a plurality of scutoids 5. A, or of a plurality of prismatoids 5.B, or of a plurality of pyramidal frusta 6 arranged in series in an axial (or coaxial) direction.

[0042] More preferably, at least part or each scutoid 5. A, or prismatoid 5.B, or pyramidal frustum 6 is mirror symmetric to an axially adjacent scutoid 5. A, or prismatoid 5.B, or pyramidal frustum 6 with respect to a mirroring plane M arranged orthogonal to the body axis X.

[0043] According to another embodiment, a scutoid 5. A could be adjacent to a prismatoid 5.B, or vice versa.

[0044] More specifically, said scutoid 5. A, or prismatoid 5.B, or pyramidal frustum 6 is a geometric solid preferably delimited: in an axial direction: by a first plane 7 and by an opposite second plane 8 arranged parallel to said first plane 7, each of said first plane 7 and second plane 8 having a polygon boundary; and

[0045] - in a radial direction: by said lateral faces 4 that extend between said first plane 7 and said second plane 8; wherein the longitudinal through-channel(s) 2 has / have cross-section(s) delimited by said polygon boundaries, and said inner surfaces 3 develop(s) as said lateral faces 4 (i.e. , said inner surfaces 3 copy the development of the lateral faces 4).

[0046] According to a preferred embodiment of said scutoid 5. A or of said prismatoid 5.B, the polygon boundary of the first plane 7 has a number of vertices 12 higher than a number of vertices 13 of the polygon boundary of the second plane 8.

[0047] Said scutoid 5. A preferably comprises at least one additional vertex or transition point 9 between said first plane 7 and said second plane 8. More preferably, said additional vertex or transition point 9 is connected to two vertices 13 of the second plane 8 by edges 18 converging towards said additional vertex 9.

[0048] Preferably, in said prismatoid 5.B, at least a vertex 12 of the first plane 7 is connected to two vertices 13 of the second plane 8 by edges 18 converging towards said vertex 12 of the first plane 7.

[0049] Preferably, said first plane 7 has a regular or irregular hexagon boundary, and said second plane 8 has a regular or irregular pentagon boundary. Other boundaries of the first plane 7 and and / or of the second plane 8, different from hexagonal and pentagonal, are covered by non-illustrated embodiments.

[0050] According to a preferred embodiment of said pyramidal frustum 6, the polygon boundary of the first plane 7 has the same number of vertices 12, 13 of the polygon boundary of the second plane 8.

[0051] Said pyramidal frustum 6 may have a triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, or hexagonal boundary. According to other embodiments, said pyramidal frustum 6 may have a number of vertices higher than six. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, said longitudinal through- channels 2 are arranged - in an orthogonal plane with respect to the body axis X - in unit cells 10 of five or four longitudinal through-channels 2 with a side-by-side arrangement (i.e. , with a continuous arrangement). This means that at least two adjacent longitudinal through-channels 2 according to this embodiment may have at least a wall in common.

[0052] Preferably, for said scutoid 5. A or said prismatoid 5. B, each unit cell 10 comprises two longitudinal through-channels 2 having a pentagon boundary, two longitudinal through-channels 2 having a hexagon boundary, and a supplemental through-channel 11 having a tetragonal boundary. More preferably, said supplemental through-channel 11 has a constant cross-section along said body axis X.

[0053] Preferably, for said pyramidal frustum 6, each unit cell 10 comprises two longitudinal through-channels 2 having a square boundary and two longitudinal through-channels 2 having a rectangular boundary.

[0054] More preferably, at least part or each unit cell 10 is mirror symmetric to an axially adjacent unit cell 10 with respect to a mirroring plane M arranged orthogonal to the body axis X.

[0055] A unit cell 10 may have a height - along body axis X - comprised from 1 mm to 50 mm, preferably comprised from 1.5 mm to 20 mm, more preferably comprised from 2 mm to 10 mm, still more preferably comprised from 2.5 mm to 5 mm.

[0056] Said synthetic structured body 1 is preferably characterized in comprising or consisting of a three-dimensional, additive-manufactured monolith made in a single piece of a same material or of a plurality of different materials.

[0057] Said material(s) may comprise or consist of an electrically conductive material or an electrically non-conductive material.

[0058] According to an embodiment, said material(s) may comprise or consist of a ceramic powder embedded in a phenolic binder. According to a preferred embodiment, said material is silicon carbide infiltrated with silicon (Si-SiC). Preferably a resistivity of said Si-SiC monolith is comprised from 4 mQ m to 15 mQ m, more preferably comprised from 6 mQ m to 12 mQ m.

[0059] Silicon infiltration allows to decrease fragility of the material and to mitigate the detrimental effects on electrical properties caused by oxidation of SiC to SiO2 in presence of water in a reducing environment.

[0060] Without being bound to a particular theory, liquid silicon is infiltrated (in an amount of liquid silicon with respect to the non-infiltrated structured body of about 80% wt) in order to fill pores of a silicon carbide (SiC) matrix of the non-infiltrated structured body. This procedure leads to a substantially completely impermeable and fine-grained structure comprising interlocking grains interspersed with a small proportion of free silicon. This structure is stable and heat resistant to temperatures up to 1.400 °C.

[0061] For the production of Si-SiC samples Liquid Silicon Infiltration (LSI) may be used. LSI is performed at 1600 °C for 1 hour under vacuum in a graphite resistor furnace. Before LSI the bodies obtained by additive manufacturing were thermally treated at 960 °C in inert atmosphere for 1 hour in a vertical retort furnace to convert the phenolic binder into amorphous carbon to promote LSI. Metallic silicon flakes were placed in a graphite crucible below the samples and expanded graphite foils were used as wicks to drive molten silicon by capillary forces into the samples. Thereafter, LSI localized silicon formations were removed by grinding obtaining neat geometries.

[0062] Other materials usable for additive manufacturing may be ceramic composite, metals, polymers their combinations or a doped material. Some examples are: SiC, SiOC, SisN4, amorphous carbon, graphite, AI2O3, ZrO2, SiCh, CeO2, TiO2.

[0063] Binder Jetting may be used for additive manufacturing.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the synthetic structured body 1 comprises at least two contact pins 14 for electrical connection with a power source. Preferably, said contact pins 14 project from a same side or from opposite sides of said synthetic structured body 1 . Preferably, said synthetic structured body 1 comprises two body branches 16 separated in a radial direction with respect to said body axis X so as to delimit a longitudinal slit 15. In other words, said synthetic structured body 1 is preferably U-shaped. Said longitudinal slit 15 has a length that is preferably more than a half of the overall length of the synthetic structured body 1 .

[0065] The body branches 16 are preferably mirror symmetric with respect to a centerline plane C of said synthetic structured body 1 , preferably of a centerline plane C between inner surfaces 19 delimiting said longitudinal slit 15.

[0066] The two body branches 16 are preferably mechanically connected by a bridging portion 17.

[0067] According to a preferred embodiment, each contact pin 14 is positioned at a different branch 16, e.g., at an end portion thereof. More preferably, each contact pin 14 is positioned at an opposite side of the synthetic structured body 1 with respect to the bridging portion 17.

[0068] Preferably, step (I) comprises producing said a synthetic structured body by additive manufacturing.

[0069] According to preferred embodiments, said endothermic reaction is selected from any one of: steam or dry reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock (e.g., natural gas, methane, or biogas), ammonia cracking, and reverse water gas shift.

[0070] In said endothermic reaction the synthetic structured body may be made of an electrically non-conductive material.

[0071] According to other preferred embodiments, said exothermic reaction is selected from any one of: reduction of nitrogen oxides (deNOx) and / or of nitrous oxide (delShO) from a gaseous stream; methanol synthesis, oxidation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), catalytic reaction in a nitric acid production.

[0072] According to possible embodiments, said target substance is selected from among carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ammonia (NH3) or any combination of two or more thereof. Typically, a mixture of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is globally denoted as “NOx”.

[0073] Preferably, said target substance is carbon dioxide (CO2).

[0074] In said use, a loaded catalyst and a target substance-depleted stream are obtained. The loaded catalyst may be subsequently subjected to suitable conditions (e.g. temperature and / or pressure) for desorption of at least part of said target substance from the loaded catalyst.

[0075] Preferably, said synthetic structured body 1 is at least partially made of an electrically conductive material and, when desorbing at least part of said target substance from the loaded catalyst, said synthetic structured body 1 is electrically heated for performing such desorption.

[0076] Preferably, during desorption, at least part of said CO2 is catalytically converted into carbon monoxide (CO).

[0077] Description of the figures

[0078] Fig. 1 : perspective view of a synthetic structured body according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0079] Fig. 2: front view of the synthetic structured body of Fig. 1 ;

[0080] Fig. 3: schematization of a unit cell according to a possible embodiment of the present invention, wherein the longitudinal through-channels and the supplemental through-channel are shown as planar surfaces of the corresponding geometrical solid;

[0081] Fig. 4: two unit cells according to Fig. 3 in an axially aligned position;

[0082] Fig. 5, Fig. 6: enlargements of the synthetic structured body of Fig. 1 at a top surface and at a bottom surface thereof, respectively, according to the orientation of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 6.A: enlargement of the synthetic structured body of Fig. 1 at a lateral surface thereof;

[0083] Fig. 7: schematization of a unit cell according to another possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0084] Fig. 8, Fig. 9: top surface and a bottom surface of the synthetic structured body of Fig. 7;

[0085] Fig. 10: a scutoid according to a possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0086] Fig. 11 : a prismatoid according to a possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0087] Fig. 12: a pyramidal frustum according to a possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0088] Fig. 13, Fig. 14, Fig. 15: perspective view, lateral view, and front view of a synthetic structured body according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein contact pins are clearly visible;

[0089] Fig. 16a), Fig. 16b), Fig. 16c): Infrared thermal imaging of an outlet front view of the internals of catalysts under operation, for a) squared channel (reference), b) hexagonal channel (reference), c) scutoid (invention). Flow rate and supplied power were set at 10 Nl / min and 19 W, respectively. The scutoid according to the present invention - see Fig. 16c) - shows highest temperatures in the channels and more homogeneous temperature distribution.

[0090] The invention will now be described based on the following non-limiting examples.

[0091] EXAMPLES

[0092] Below Table 1 show a comparison between the synthetic structured body of the present invention and a honeycomb monolith according to the prior art.

[0093] Table 1

[0094] From Table 1 it can be seen that the synthetic structured body according to the present invention has a higher surface area (>18%) with respect to the honeycomb at the same cell size and wall thickness.

[0095] The synthetic structured body has also a higher solid volume (>8.5%) and therefore lower porosity (<3%) considering the same total volume occupied (considering a cylinder with a diameter of 35 mm and a length of 80 mm).

[0096] Furthermore, also the specific surface area (SSA) should be considered that is the ratio between the surface area with the total volume of the body, because it has a particular importance for adsorption, catalysis, and surface reactions. The higher SSA is, the better is the performance for catalysis applications (as it hints about how much surface area is available for reactions).

[0097] According to Table 1 , SSA of the synthetic structured body is surprisingly about 18% higher than SSA of the honeycomb monolith.

[0098] The above comparison has been repeated with synthetic structured bodies in the form of a honeycomb monolith (reference), a scutoid (invention) and a prismatoid (invention), each body having length 80 mm and a diameter of 40 mm. The results of this second comparison are in line with the data of Table 1 .

[0099] Heat transfer tests.

[0100] Heat transfer tests confirmed the better performance of the synthetic structured body of the present invention in comparison to honeycomb monoliths (as references) with squared or hexagonal geometries, all geometries having been produced with same cell size and wall thicknesses, at every operative condition.

[0101] For the synthetic structured body, the highest temperatures were reached inside the longitudinal through-channels and a remarkably homogeneous temperature distribution was detected (as shown in Fig. 16c)). This may be due both to the peculiar geometry of the synthetic structured body and to an improvement of the heat transfer phenomena due to the more tortuous path of the gas flow.

[0102] On the contrary, the hot spots for the squared and hexagonal honeycomb monoliths were located in the centre of the structure (as shown in Fig. 16a) and Fig. 16b)), and milder temperatures are detected in a radial direction. This is due to their axial symmetry, which significantly differs from the geometry of the present invention.

[0103] It is worth mentioning that catalysts according to all embodiments of the present invention (i.e., “scutoid”, “prismatoid”, and “pyramidal frustum”) produced the same technical effects that were here shown.

[0104] Even if not specified above, a person skilled in the art may envisage, using the expertise typical of the industry, varying or replacing some of the above aspects with other technically equivalent elements.

[0105] These variations or substitutions also fall within the scope defined by the following claims.

[0106] Furthermore, each alternative illustrated in connection with a particular embodiment can be performed independently from other described embodiments. LIST OF THE REFERENCE SIGNS synthetic structured body longitudinal through-channels inner surface lateral face scutoid prismatoid pyramidal frustum first plane, preferably orthogonal with respect to the body axis second plane, preferably orthogonal with respect to the body axis additional vertex or transition point unit cell supplemental through-channel vertex of the polygon boundary of the first plane vertex of the polygon boundary of the second plane contact pin longitudinal slit body branch bridging portion edge 19 inner surface, preferably planar inner surface

[0107] 20 top surface

[0108] 21 bottom surface

[0109] C centerline plane M mirroring plane

[0110] X body axis

Claims

CLAIMS1. A synthetic structured body (1 ) comprising longitudinal through-channels (2) extending along a body axis (X); wherein inner surfaces (3) of said synthetic structured body (1 ) delimiting at least part of one or more longitudinal through-channel(s) (2) are shaped as lateral faces (4) of at least one scutoid (5. A), of at least one prismatoid (5.B), or of at least one pyramidal frustum (6); wherein said scutoid (5. A), or prismatoid (5.B), or pyramidal frustum (6) is a geometric solid delimited - in an axial direction - by a first plane (7) and by an opposite second plane (8) arranged parallel to said first plane (7), each of said first plane (7) and second plane (8) having a polygon boundary, and - in a radial direction - by said lateral faces (4) that extend between said first plane (7) and said second plane (8); said longitudinal through-channel(s) (2) having cross-section(s) delimited by said polygon boundaries, and said inner surfaces (3) developing as said lateral faces (4); and wherein:- for said scutoid (5.A): the polygon boundary of the first plane (7) has a number of vertices (12) higher than a number of vertices (13) of the polygon boundary of the second plane (8); said scutoid (5.A) comprising at least one additional vertex or transition point (9) between said first plane (7) and said second plane (8); wherein said additional vertex (9) is connected to two vertices (13) of the second plane (8) by edges (18) converging towards said additional vertex (9);- for said prismatoid (5.B): the polygon boundary of the first plane (7) has a number of vertices (12) higher than a number of vertices (13) of the polygon boundary of the second plane (8); at least a vertex (12) of the first plane (7) being connected to two vertices (13) of the second plane (8) by edges (18) converging towards said vertex (12) of the first plane (7).

2. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said inner surfaces (3) delimiting one or more of said longitudinal through-channel(s) (2) are shaped as lateral faces (4) of a plurality of scutoids (5.A), or of prismatoids (5.B), or of pyramidal frusta (6) arranged in series in an axial direction; at least part or each scutoid (5. A), or prismatoid (5.B), or pyramidal frustum (6) being mirror symmetric to an axially adjacent scutoid (5. A), or prismatoid (5.B), or pyramidal frustum (6) with respect to a mirroring plane (M) arranged orthogonal to the body axis (X).

3. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according to any of the previous claims, wherein:- for said pyramidal frustum (6): the polygon boundary of the first plane (7) has the same number of vertices (12, 13) of the polygon boundary of the second plane (8).

4. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according to any of the previous claims, wherein, for said scutoid (5. A) or prismatoid (5.B), said first plane (7) has a regular or irregular hexagon boundary, and said second plane (8) has a regular or irregular pentagon boundary.

5. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said longitudinal through-channels (2) are arranged - in an orthogonal plane with respect to the body axis (X) - in unit cells (10) of five or four longitudinal through-channels (2) with a side-by-side arrangement; wherein:- for said scutoid (5. A) or prismatoid (5.B): each unit cell (10) comprises two longitudinal through-channels (2) having a pentagon boundary, two longitudinal through-channels (2) having a hexagon boundary, and a supplemental through-channel (11 ) having a tetragonal boundary; preferably said supplemental through-channel (11 ) having a constant cross-section along said body axis (X);- for said pyramidal frustum (6): each unit cell (10) comprises two longitudinal through-channels (2) having a square boundary and two longitudinal through-channels (2) having a rectangular boundary.

6. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in comprising or consisting of a three-dimensional, additive- manufactured monolith made in a single piece of a same material.

7. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according claim 6, said material comprising or consisting of an electrically conductive material or ceramic powder embedded in a phenolic binder.

8. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according claim 6 or 7, wherein said material is silicon carbide infiltrated with silicon (Si-SiC).

9. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according claim 8, a resistivity of said Si- SiC monolith being comprised from 4 mQ m to 15 mQ m, preferably comprised from 6 mQ m to 12 mQ m.

10. The synthetic structured body (1 ) according to any of the previous claims, comprising at least two contact pins (14) for electrical connection with a power source; said contact pins (14) projecting from a same side of said synthetic structured body (1 ).11 . The synthetic structured body (1 ) according claim 9, wherein said synthetic structured body (1 ) comprises two body branches (16) separated in a radial direction with respect to said body axis (X) so as to delimit a longitudinal slit (15); each contact pin (14) being positioned at a different branch (16), e.g., at an end portion thereof.

12. A catalyst comprising: a synthetic structured body (1 ) according to any of the previous claims;a catalytically active substance coating at least part of said synthetic structured body (1 ).

13. A method of manufacturing the catalyst according to claim 12, said method comprising the following steps:(I) provision of a synthetic structured body according to any of claims 1- 11 ;(II) coating, e.g. slurry coating, of the synthetic structured body of step (I) with a coating agent comprising a catalytically active substance;(III) drying of the product of step (II).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein step (I) comprises producing said a synthetic structured body by additive manufacturing.

15. Use of the catalyst according to claim 12 for performing an endothermic reaction, wherein said synthetic structured body (1 ) is at least partially made of an electrically conductive material; preferably said endothermic reaction being selected from any one of: steam or dry reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock (e.g., natural gas, methane, or biogas), ammonia cracking, and reverse water gas shift; more preferably said material being silicon carbide infiltrated with silicon (Si-SiC).

16. Use of the catalyst according to claim 12 for performing an exothermic reaction; preferably said exothermic reaction being selected from any one of: reduction of nitrogen oxides (deNOx) and / or of nitrous oxide (delShO) from a gaseous stream; methanol synthesis, oxidation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), catalytic reaction in a nitric acid production.

17. Use of the catalyst according to claim 12 for adsorbing a target substance, e.g. carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ammonia (NH3) or any combination of two or more thereof, in a gaseous stream and, optionally, for desorbing at least part of said target substance from the catalyst loaded with said target substance.

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