An industrial perspective on the impact of Haldor Topsøe on research and development in catalysis by zeolites

Haldor Topsøe provided important contributions to the development of industrial processes based on the use of innovative zeolite catalysts. [Display omitted] •The Haldor Topsøe’s philosophy at the base of his notable achievements is reported.•He was a pioneer in the rational design and synthesis of hierarchical zeolites.•The TIGAS process is one of the industrial applications of zeolite-based catalysts developed by Haldor Topsøe A/S. The contribution of Haldor Topsøe to the advancement in zeolite science and technology is well recognized by the scientific community. He promoted the development of innovative approaches for the synthesis of zeolite-based materials, which are the basis of important research topics in which still operate numerous research groups around the world; some of the materials obtained are the basis for the development of new technologies applied also at an industrial level. In this paper, the main achievements of Haldor Topsøe in the field of science and technology of zeolites are briefly described and discussed also in view of their industrial perspectives.