For students

Supervisor: prof. dr hab. Leszek Kępiński
Auxillary supervisor: dr Karolina Ledwa

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Description:

Global warming due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions is our generation's greatest challenge. Carbon dioxide, which is by far the most significant contributor to global warming, is currently considered a promising prospective for potential applications as a raw material for the production of fine chemicals, like hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, etc.

The proposed thesis aims to develop well-defined, highly active nanostructured heterogeneous catalysts dedicated to CO₂ hydrogenation into more valuable chemicals. The catalysts will be composed of a high surface area support with well-defined 3D geometry (e.g., amorphous mesoporous support with uniform ordered pores, various types of 3D hierarchical flower-like supports, etc.) as well as optimized chemical composition and structure, and nanosized active phase with uniform particle size distribution (cheap transition metals in mono- or bimetallic configurations). Obtained systems will be characterized using a wide range of experimental methods (electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, NMR, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, gas adsorption, etc.) to find how the catalyst structure, chemical architecture, and geometry influence their chemical properties. Then, the catalytic activity and selectivity of the catalysts will be checked in the appropriate CO₂ hydrogenation process, depending on the chosen active phase activity. An essential step to elucidate the catalysts' behaviour at reaction conditions will be in situ/operando investigations (e.g., in situ TEM and in situ DRIFTS), which are planned to be performed in collaboration with other institutions.