Liquid-phase adsorption studies of the catalysis foundations

Catalysis underpins most of the chemical industry and creates shortcuts in the reaction pathways by forming energetically-favourable reaction intermediates. The initial step of any process - adsorption, however, is scarcely studied in liquid-phase because of its difficulty. Yet, the most valuable compounds are obtained in liquid phase and the results of gas-phase studies cannot be generally applied. At Warwick, we developed a novel automated routine to study liquid-phase adsorption phenomena that often determine and describe the selectivity of a reaction.

The project aims to study the effect of adsorption onto the catalyst activity and selectivity in several model reactions such as semi-hydrogenation over platinum-group catalysts.

This multidisciplinary project focuses on heterogeneous catalysis and understanding of the reaction mechanisms. You will collaborate with computational chemistry groups at the University of Lincoln, University College London, and Catalysis Hub as well as industrial end-users to gain valuable mechanistic insights relevant to the industry. It is an opportunity, if desired, to acquire industrial experience and establish strong links with industrial leaders.

Please email the prospective supervisor N.Cherkasov@warwick.ac.uk for enquiries.