Historical review: Chemisorption on metals—retrospect and prospect

In 1950, Dean H. S. Taylor of Princeton University returned to Liverpool University, his alma mater, to deliver the 5th Spiers Memorial Lecture at the 8th Discussion of the Faraday Society.1 I t may have been coincidental that within 2 years he had been named a Knight of the British Empire and was also elected the first overseas President of the Faraday Society. The subject of his lecture was “Catalysis—Retrospect and Prospect.” This title, with slight modification, has been adopted for this review in the vain hope that similar future rewards will follow!