Multiscale imaging for the investigation of catalysts and zeolites

Applications are invited for a 4 year EPSRC funded CASE award PhD studentship in partnership with Johnson Matthey. The position will be based at the UK Catalysis Hub, Harwell, Oxfordshire and the degree awarded by University College London. The UK Catalysis Hub is an EPSRC initiative aimed at coordinating UK efforts in catalytic science, with the laboratories at the Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH) providing the physical base for this network. By being a member of the UK Catalysis Hub team this studentship offers exposure to leading UK academics and the advanced X-ray and Neutron characterisation techniques available on the Harwell campus. In addition, the student will work closely with the industrial partners, Johnson Matthey, therefore gaining insight into both academic and industrial research environments.

The project will make extensive use of the newly built physical sciences aberration corrected TEM facility (ePSIC) and I14 nanoprobe beamline facility at Diamond. These are powerful techniques able to study materials under working conditions over a range of length scales important in catalysis. For instance, pore collapse or particle agglomeration occur in the micrometer scale, whereas active site distribution may be on the nm scale. By exploiting the different length scales viewed by both the nm resolved in situ microscopy (TEM) and the X-ray capabilities of the 50 nm resolution I14 beamline, a thorough understanding of catalyst activity or deactivation processes can be visualised over a range of length scales under relevant working conditions.

We are searching for applicants with an honours degree in Chemistry, or a related discipline. The project will be under the supervision of Prof Richard Catlow and Dr Emma Gibson of UCL and in collaboration with Prof Angus Kirkland of the University of Oxford and Dr Manfred Schuster of Johnson Matthey. The studentship will be based at Harwell full-time, however, the student will be registered at University College London and will have access to the excellent postgraduate courses available within the University.
If you wish to apply for this unique opportunity or would like more information, please get in touch with Dr Emma Gibson ([Email Address Removed] ).