Homogeneous catalyst design

• Structural characterisation of various homogenous catalysts applied in fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries;
• Optimising a catalyst formation based on its selectivity and activity towards specific reaction e.g. alkylation, oligomerisation, carbon-carbon coupling reactions;
• Studies of electronic and structural ligand-active metal interactions.

Heterogeneous catalyst design

• Investigations on novel three-way catalysts – monitoring effect of promoter on an active metal and overall performance of a catalyst;
• Studies of novel, more efficient Fischer Tropsch catalysts, promoted with various dopants;
• Structural characterisation of multifunctional mesoporous materials e.g. zeolites, AlPO- types with different active metals.

Mechanism of catalytic reactions

• Structural and electronic studies of catalyst and catalytic processes under in situ, time-resolved conditions to mimic real industrial processes;
• Understand mechanism of catalysis by in situ studies of fast kinetic phenomena and detect multiple transition species of catalyst under operation;
• Structural characterisation of homogeneous catalysts using in situ, stopped flow reactors.

Processing of catalytic materials

• Follow structural changes during processing under service conditions;
• Understand processes of poisoning and deactivation of catalysts under extreme conditions e.g. high temperature, pressure;
• Detect strain, fatigue, pores and cracks within catalytic systems under operating conditions;
• Apply advanced approaches to improve catalytic reactor technology.