Thermochemical conversions of syngas and carbon dioxide are of paramount interest
for the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals on a large scale. Many
such processes, like the hydrogenations of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
to produce alcohols and other liquid fuels, require the development of active
and selective catalysts. Our research focuses on the design, synthesis, catalytic
testing, and materials characterization of novel catalysts with an emphasis on
gaining theoretical insight into reaction mechanisms.
We perform catalytic testing in lab scale plug flow reactors capable of operating
at high temperatures and pressures. Catalyst characterization is performed through
traditional ex-situ techniques as well as novel synchotron studies. Operando and
in-situ spectroscopy techniques at SSRL are utilized to study catalysts under
realistic operating conditions. Using our experimental capabilities at Stanford,
SLAC and SSRL along with a strong theoretical support from our collaborators
in SUNCAT we strive to
develop an understanding of how a catalyst’s electronic and chemical structure
governs its selectivity and activity.
Mechanisms and Discoveries in Thermal Catalysis
