Anna Kroner
Industrial Liaison Scientist

Anna Kroner is the Industrial Liaison Scientist at Diamond specialising in spectroscopy. Anna jointed Diamond in January 2009 after completing her PhD at the University of Southampton and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), where she undertook research into the characterisation of heterogeneous catalysts by the multi-technique set up of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry (XAS/DRIFTS/MS) in time-resolved, in situ conditions.

Her role at Diamond is to establish collaboration with industrial users by providing support to existing industrial users in the field of spectroscopy and promoting the capabilities of the facility to potential customers. Her main research area covers a wide range of industrial applications utilized in the chemical, catalysis and nuclear fields.

Email: Anna Kroner
Tel: +44 (0) 1235 778654
Industrial Liaison Office

Key research areas:

EXAFS, XANES, Time-resolved spectroscopy, Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform, heterogeneous catalyst, CO oxidation

Research Interests:

Understanding of structure-property correlations in catalytic materials is an important issue in their design and preparation. It is well known that studies of the complex structure of a catalyst requires using a number of analytical techniques and there is no a single technique which can give a complete overview of catalytic materials, especially studied under time-resolved, in situ manner, while the catalytic reactions are taking place; my area of expertise is the application of X-ray absorption techniques for the characterisation of heterogeneous catalyst under ex situ as well as in situ conditions. My main research interest is focused on studies of catalysts by combination of synchrotron techniques like X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, X-ray Powder Diffraction with other complementary spectroscopic techniques such as Infrared Spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry applied under operating conditions. I am very interested in developing various sample environments/cells, which could be applied to study the materials by the combination of techniques under time-resolved, in situ manner.

Together with collaborators at ISIS and University of Southampton, I am studying binary inorganic materials such as the III-V and III-VI semiconductors as thin films. Semiconductors play a vital role in many technologically important devices (diodes, memory materials and solar cells etc.). Their properties are intrinsically dependent upon the elements present, their composition and stoichiometry. Therefore, a wide range of techniques can be applied to characterise these novel materials such as single crystal X-ray diffraction, powder XRD, XRF, AFM as well as Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence studies.

I am also joint supervisor of a PhD project based at University College London focused on the investigations of transition metal substituted aluminosilicates (zeolites) and aluminophosphates (AlPOs). These materials show remarkable redox properties in the selective oxidations of hydrocarbons, such as methane and benzene using N2O as the oxidising agent under relatively mild conditions. This reaction will be studied by the combination of XRD/EXAFS techniques under time-resolved, in situ conditions.

Selected Publications:

“Effect of Ceria and Zirconia on Nanoparticulate Rhodium Catalysts”, Kroner A. B. PhD Thesis (University of Southampton, UK)