Nanoengineered Materials for Clean Catalytic Technologies
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Catalysis lies at the heart of life on earth, powers our homes and puts food on our tables. However to a large degree our ability to transform individual atoms and molecules into new pharmaceutical medicines, fuels, and fertilisers has depended upon an equal combination of brilliant science and serendipitous discoveries. This reflects the complex interactions between reacting molecules and products, their surrounding environment, and of course the catalyst itself, which ideally remains unchanged over thousands of reaction cycles. Recent advances in chemical synthesis and analysis now offer an unprecedented opportunity to sculpt the atomic structure of solid catalysts and to peer inside their microscopic workings.Over the next five years, I propose to integrate these new experimental and theoretical breakthroughs with my own expertise in catalyst design and testing, to develop a new generation of nanoengineered materials for the clean production of valuable chemical feedstocks and sustainable biofuels. New collaborations, forged with world leaders in the areas of inorganic solid-state chemistry, nanoscale imaging and computer modelling, will help me to develop the multidisciplinary skillsets needed to achieve my vision of solid catalysts, tailored 'on demand', for efficient clean technologies that will benefit society over the coming decade.
Publications
Montero J
(2016)
The surface chemistry of nanocrystalline MgO catalysts for FAME production: An in situ XPS study of H2O, CH3OH and CH3OAc adsorption
in Surface Science
Montero J
(2010)
Cs Promoted Triglyceride Transesterification Over MgO Nanocatalysts
in Topics in Catalysis
Montero J
(2010)
In situ studies of structure-reactivity relations in biodiesel synthesis over nanocrystalline MgO
in Chemical Engineering Journal
Montero J.M.
(2010)
New solid base catalysts for biodiesel synthesis
in ACS National Meeting Book of Abstracts
Montero J.M.
(2010)
New solid base catalysts for biodiesel synthesis
in ACS National Meeting Book of Abstracts
Naughton J
(2010)
Reactivity of crotonaldehyde and propene over Au/Pd(111) surfaces.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Naughton J
(2011)
Metastable De-excitation Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Study of the Selective Oxidation of Crotyl Alcohol over Pd(111)
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Osatiashtiani A
(2014)
Bifunctional SO 4 /ZrO 2 catalysts for 5-hydroxymethylfufural (5-HMF) production from glucose
in Catal. Sci. Technol.
Parlett C
(2011)
Support-Enhanced Selective Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation over Pd/Mesoporous Silicas
in ACS Catalysis
Parlett C
(2014)
Selective oxidation of allylic alcohols over highly ordered Pd/meso-Al2O3 catalysts
in Catalysis Communications
Description | Selective catalytic transformations for agrochemicals |
Organisation | Syngenta International AG |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Two part-sponsored PhD studentships have undertake fundamental research into the mechanism of palladium catalysed transformations and identified key factors controlling the catalytic performance and stability of nanoparticles. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to laboratories, intellectual guidance, provision of catalysts |
Impact | One PhD graduated to date, and 2 peer-reviewed publications. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Synchtrotron studies of nanostructured materials |
Organisation | Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | New research areas in catalysis and materials science developed resulting in numerous jointly authored publications over 17 years. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to synchtrotron facilities and training of 8 PhD students and PDRAs |
Impact | Joint publications, contributions to annual highlights, invited seminar and Fonda-Fasella 2004 award |