PhD Studentship – Predictive Molecular Design of Multifunctional Nanocatalysts

Co-supervisors: Dr Mark Light and Dr Marina Carravetta
Industrial support: Dr Bart Vandegehuchte and Moritz Schreiber (Total Research and Technology)

Note: Applications will be considered in the order that they are received and the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated postgraduate applicant who will contribute to this multidisciplinary research proposal, aimed at developing a predictive tool for the rational design of high-performance nanocatalysts, which would be versatile for catalytic applications within the petrochemical industry. The applicant will join a vibrant and well-established research group of Professor Robert Raja at the University of Southampton (https://www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/about/staff/rr3.page), who are interested in the discovery and design of novel catalytic materials that address fundamental challenges in the chemical, environmental and energy landscape. During this project, we will investigate the rational engineering of monodisperse nanoparticles and single-atom nanocatalysts, with a view to creating highly active and selective single-site heterogeneous catalysts, which can be atomically engineered for evoking catalytic synergy at the nanoscale. The predictive design rationale developed in Professor Raja’s Group will be harmonised with operando studies and computational modelling, aimed at understanding the local structural environment at the molecular level and further augmenting these with catalytic descriptors for industrial compliance in emerging petrochemical applications. In order to achieve the above goals, we will design multimetallic and multifunctional active sites within microporous and hierarchical supports for evaluating a range of catalytic descriptors, with a view to rationalising kinetics and associated mechanistic pathways. The candidate will develop proficiency and training in industrial heterogeneous catalysis by working alongside world-leading academics and industrial partners at Total.