Nanoengineered Materials for Clean Catalytic Technologies
Lead Research Organisation:
Aston University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Applied Science
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
Hara T
(2016)
Hydrophenylation of internal alkynes with boronic acids catalysed by a Ni-Zn hydroxy double salt-intercalated anionic rhodium( iii ) complex
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Isaacs M
(2019)
Unravelling mass transport in hierarchically porous catalysts
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Isaacs M
(2019)
Unravelling mass transport in hierarchically porous catalysts
Jiang Z
(2016)
Photodeposition as a facile route to tunable Pt photocatalysts for hydrogen production: on the role of methanol
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Karthikeyan S
(2016)
Hydroxyl radical generation by cactus-like copper oxide nanoporous carbon catalysts for microcystin-LR environmental remediation
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Lee AF
(2014)
Heterogeneous catalysis for sustainable biodiesel production via esterification and transesterification.
in Chemical Society reviews
Manayil J
(2017)
Impact of Macroporosity on Catalytic Upgrading of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil by Esterification over Silica Sulfonic Acids
in ChemSusChem
Manayil J
(2016)
Mesoporous sulfonic acid silicas for pyrolysis bio-oil upgrading via acetic acid esterification
in Green Chemistry
Manayil J
(2017)
Octyl Co-grafted PrSO 3 H/SBA-15: Tunable Hydrophobic Solid Acid Catalysts for Acetic Acid Esterification
in ChemCatChem
Description | New methods to create and characterise advanced materials for diverse catalytic applications. |
Exploitation Route | Many. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Energy Environment Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |