Sustainable Catalysis for Clean Growth
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Catalysis is the process of speeding up a chemical reaction by action of a catalyst, a substance that triggers this acceleration without itself being used up. This ability to efficiently convert one substance into another is hugely important to the economy and society; it serves both to add value to simple chemical building blocks by increasing complexity (for example, converting gas and oil fractions into products ranging from fuels and solvents to materials and pharmaceutical products) and to alleviate harmful waste streams (for example, catalytic convertors in car exhausts). It is estimated that catalysts are involved in the manufacture of over 80% of the materials around us and account for over 20% of UK GDP. But this does not mean that catalysis is a mature technology. There are still fundamental unanswered scientific questions and a growing need for new catalyst technologies, especially related to achieving clean growth for industry. The catalysts used today have been honed over decades to work with specific, fossil fuel-derived feedstocks. As we move to a low carbon, more sustainable, net-zero future, we need catalysts that will convert biomass, waste and carbon dioxide into valuable products. The current generation of catalysts cannot achieve this.
This project will develop these new catalysts, providing a key technology to achieve net zero carbon ambitions. Achieving this objective requires fundamental scientific advances. It also requires these advanced to be translated into real technologies to deliver their impact and bring value to the business partners. Inspired by nature, breaking down the traditional silos of catalysis research, and embracing emerging areas such as electrification, we will bring together a wide range of catalysis expertise, computation, materials science and advanced analysis to uncover new science and contribute towards achieving net zero - perhaps the most pressing objective for us all.
This project will develop these new catalysts, providing a key technology to achieve net zero carbon ambitions. Achieving this objective requires fundamental scientific advances. It also requires these advanced to be translated into real technologies to deliver their impact and bring value to the business partners. Inspired by nature, breaking down the traditional silos of catalysis research, and embracing emerging areas such as electrification, we will bring together a wide range of catalysis expertise, computation, materials science and advanced analysis to uncover new science and contribute towards achieving net zero - perhaps the most pressing objective for us all.
Publications
Deng Y
(2023)
Engineering an Oxygen-Binding Protein for Photocatalytic CO2 Reductions in Water.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Radley E
(2023)
Engineering Enzymes for Environmental Sustainability.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Description | The highlights from this period, as detailed in other sections of researchfish, are threefold: 1. A growing portfolio of academic publications. The work that started at the beginning of this grant is now reaching the stage where scholarly publications are being produced and we expect this activity to accelerate as more strands of the project reach this stage. 2. Follow-on funding on specific project that have been 'spun out' of the main Prosperity Partnership, since they were only of interest to one partner or not a core activity. 3. After a two-year period, we have down-selected a smaller number of project with the best opportunity to realise impact for further development. This will be realised through placement of the researchers in industrial labs and involvement of a wider cross section industrial colleagues, including those within commercial operations. These activities are meeting the objectives set at the beginning of the partnership, and we are now moving to a phase where more open-ended exploratory research is being complemented with a focus on moving specific project areas to higher technology readiness levels. |
Exploitation Route | In due course, it is hoped that outcomes will lead to new commercial opportunities for the business partners. |
Sectors | Chemicals Energy Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | Visit of Rt Hon David Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | "Controlling selectivity of catalysts through the interaction of cobalt with promoters: a computational modelling investigation" |
Amount | £118,483 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2730879 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 09/2026 |
Description | A Smart Automated TEM Facility for Large Scale Analysis of Atomic Structure and Chemistry |
Amount | £5,857,335 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/X041204/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
End | 08/2025 |
Description | CCP5 Industrial Placement: Computational investigation of anatase TiO2 surface modification by chloride ions in aqueous solution |
Amount | £2,225 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2022 |
End | 06/2023 |
Description | Catalytic approaches to the recycling of carbon fibre reinforced composite materials |
Amount | £80,500 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2709753 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2022 |
End | 12/2025 |
Description | Collaboration with development team for the FHI-aims software package |
Organisation | Duke University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | In the current project, we have worked with the core FHI-aims development team to expand software capabilities. The core focus has been contributing an infrastructure to transfer large data objects in/out of the quantum mechanical calculation workflow without requiring to write the data to static memory. The functionality has been realised, and now we are looking to apply this functionality to challenges in embedded-cluster modelling. We are also working to extend the capabilities in ab initio simulations of materials with new approximations to accelerate calculations. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our collaborators have provided their support in time and expertise, without which the project would have been far less productive. Secondments are organised for the forthcoming period (2024). |
Impact | Publications: 10.21105/joss.05186 |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Funding for an 11 week secondment in the Lu lab at the University of Texas |
Organisation | BP (British Petroleum) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Whilst on the secondment I was able to access equipment I did not have access to in my lab to further characerise my enzyme. Additionally,, I brought techniques from my lab to our collaboraters, the Lu lab. |
Collaborator Contribution | bp kindly financed the travel budget for this secondment. Our collaborators, the Lu lab contributed knowledge and equipment time towards my project. |
Impact | N/A |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Industrial iCASE PhD studentship |
Organisation | BP (British Petroleum) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | An iCASE studentship has been awarded to my research group by bp. This studentship is because of the interaction with bp who is a partner in this Prosperity Partnership. |
Collaborator Contribution | bp awarded this studentship to my research group. It is a 3.5 years funding starting from October 2024. |
Impact | This studentship has not started yet, hence there is no output yet. |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Prosperity Partnership funding for an IAAC GC |
Organisation | BP (British Petroleum) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | This GC will enable us to screen our variants faster and more efficiently. |
Collaborator Contribution | The prosperity partnership has awarded us with funding for buying a new IAAC GC. |
Impact | N/A |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | Prosperity Partnership funding for an IAAC GC |
Organisation | Johnson Matthey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | This GC will enable us to screen our variants faster and more efficiently. |
Collaborator Contribution | The prosperity partnership has awarded us with funding for buying a new IAAC GC. |
Impact | N/A |
Start Year | 2024 |
Description | 2022 Enzyme Engineering XXVI, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk given to Research Institute at Georgia Tech, participants were other academics as well as post-graduate students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | 2023 Novel Enzymes Conference, Greifswald, Germany |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk given to Research Institute at Georgia Tech, participants were other academics as well as post-graduate students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | 2023 Research Symposium, Merck & Co. Rahway, USA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A presentation was given on the work within my Research Group. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | 2023 Research Symposium, Princeton University, USA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A talk was given at Princeton University on the ongoing work within my Research Group. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Biotrans 2023 La Rochelle, France |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A presentation was given on the ongoing work within my Research Group. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Green Together Festival (UoM/Henry Royce Institute outreach event for the general public) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The activity occurred at Manchester Central Library on the 23/02/2024. We had a stand with interactive activities such as a fuel cell car demonstration and lego wind turbines. The objective of the event was to communicate to the general public the extend and importance of research done at the Henry Royce Institute. The interactive activities attracted attendants and we discussed about the science, challenges, future and importance of research on topics such as hydrogen electrolysis, wind power and CO2 reduction (prosperity partnership research area) to different levels of complexity based on the listeners level of scientific knowledge and interest. Some of the most interested audience members involved PhD students that work in sustainable projects and undergraduate students of STEM subjects that were interested in learning for interest or to prepare for interviews. Several attendants asked for leaflets with more information about the Henry Royce Institute. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.se.manchester.ac.uk/green-together/ |
Description | Hosting of Nuffield Summer Studentships |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The activity involves the hosting of A-level students interested in studying Chemistry for a 3- or 4-week placement in the research group. The placement students are from historically under-represented groups at University (Minority groups, or no previous family history of university attendance). The placements allow the students to see and participate in the university working environment, and involves working on a small project that is then formally documented and presented at an award day organised for the Nuffield Foundation. In 2021, we remotely hosted 3 students in the group from across Wales. In 2022, we hosted 3 students in person in the group from the local area. In 2023, we hosted 3 students in person in the group from the local area. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023 |
Description | In situ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | In collaboration with our commercial in situ providers, organised and led a 1-day workshop focusing on the use of liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy for in situ electrochemistry. Event was attended by postgraduate and postdoctoral students from around the UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Invited lecture at a University in India |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | I gave an invited lecture entitled "Supported Nanoparticles based Catalysts for a Green and Sustainable Future" at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU), Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India. The audience for this talk were mostly research students, post graduate students and academic staff members of that university. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Launch of Cardiff's Net Zero Innovation Institute |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Launch of a new institute for Cardiff which will bring together research across all aspects link to achieving net zero. Catalysis is a key part of this, and this was an opportunity to raise the profile of catalysis with decision makers and industry. The Prosperity Partnership was used as an example of how business and the university can work together. The event was a series of talks and round table discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Lecture at BASF/CARLA Catalysts Winter School |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | An international summer school, organised by BASF at the University of Heidelberg. Two lectures - one based on research and the other a 'tutorial' were given, highlighting the work of this grant. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Microscience Microscopy Congress (MMC) 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Oral presentation of my research activities within the Prosperity Partnership, including development of gas cell transmission electron microscopy techniques for in situ catalysis studies. Talk generated stimulating debate with audience members and led to collaboration opportunities which helped further research development. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.mmc-series.org.uk/ |
Description | Outreach activity in a primary school (Cardiff) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Close to 30 primary school children participated in this activity. A group of 6 scientists (1 academic staff, 3 PDRAs and 2 PhDs) went to St. Peters Primary School at Cardiff. The objective of this activity was to create an awareness on the topics NetZero, CO2 emission and the problems associated with that. It was a mixture of talks and hands on experiments. The overall theme of the experiments was CO2. So the students performed some fun experiments (red cabbage indictor - change of colour when it was added to lemon juice, antacid tablets, bicarbonate solution). A mixture of vitamin c and bicarbonate was added to an aqueous solution containing this indicator and based on the ratio, the colour changed. Another one was when they blew air into a solution of Ca(OH)2, it turned milky. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Participation in FLF Development Network podcast series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | With support from the FLF Development Network, and via coordination from fellow FLFs, we planned, recorded, and disseminated a 6-part podcast series named "Next Generation Research". I participated centrally in one episode, discussing the FLF project and its impact on society. The podcast was supported by participation of colleagues, and looked at the current and future opportunities generated by the work. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://pod.link/1691506840/episode/eb00155f03e0b57a862ab268253a136d |
Description | Public Engagement Talk in Theatre (Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Nine short presentations on Science interspersed with comedians to a sell out audience of 400 people at Contact Theatre on a Friday night (compered by Robin Ince) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://contactmcr.com/events/nine-lessons-and-carols-for-curious-people |
Description | RMS UK-EM Annual Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | 200 people attended to learn about new capabilities for in situ electron microscopy, the development of which was supported by this grant |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.rms.org.uk/rms-event-calendar/2023-events/em-uk-23.html |
Description | Speaker at Chemistry in Action Schools Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 1 hour interactive talk on Materials Characterisation with electron diffraction |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://educationinaction.org.uk/study-day/chemistry-in-action-13-11-2023/ |
Description | University open day for prospective students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The open day involved engaging with visiting students looking at furthering their eduction in science and engineering at the University of Manchester, specifically towards materials science. A bubble raft experiment, made by bubbling air into a soap solution, was demonstrated to the students to simulate the close-packed crystal structuring of atoms in materials. This was used to initiate discussions with the audience on materials and provide a platform for their questions regarding the subject matter and/or univerrsity study in general. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Welch Summer Scholars Program |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Mentored a high-school student to work on this project in the Lu group, UT Austin as part of Welch Summer Scholars Program in June and July of 2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Y10 Insight into Engineering & Materials Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Year 10 pupils from local schools visited the university for an "Insight into Engineering & Materials Day" involving tours, lectures and activities designed to encourage interest in these subjects. My role involved hands-on demonstrations of material properties, as well as answering questions about materials science and university life. Pupils seemed to enjoy the activities and demonstrated enthusiasm for STEM subjects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |