Sub-nano Base Metal Catalysts (SuBMiC) – Correlating Size and Electronic Effects on Catalytic Activity and Selectivity in Industrially-relevant Transformations

Oxide-supported metal species are the mainstay of the majority of industrially-applied heterogeneous catalytic processes. Unlike traditional oxide-supported catalysts sub-nano particle materials exploit much bigger metal atom surface area/unit mass ratios and quantum chemical effects to give unique reactivity and electrical character, and so enhanced activity/selectivity. Well-defined sub-nano-sized metal particles of base metals Ni, Co, Fe or V immobilised on tuned metal oxide supports will be prepared from tailored metal-containing precursors, offering particle size control and heteroatom-free particles. DRIFTS, XPS, SEM/TEM, XANES, EXAFS, Raman, NMR, Rutherford backscattering and thermal methods will be used to characterise catalysts, with the project also involving transition metal organometallic synthesis requiring air-sensitive techniques and characterisation methods such as multinuclear NMR, IR, GC/MS and X-ray crystallography. Particle size/activity/selectivity correlation will be made for industry-relevant hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, water gas shift, Fischer Tropsch synthesis reactions. Johnson Matthey will be closely involved throughout the project.

The student will be under the supervision of Drs Phil Dyer (http://www.dur.ac.uk/chemistry/staff/profile/?id=1317) and Simon Beaumont (http://www.dur.ac.uk/chemistry/staff/profile/?id=10598).
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