To achieve a more sustainable society, it is important to move away from cradle-to-grave applications, and to develop a more circular economy, wherein reusability and recycling are part of the development of any new product. In that context, the currently undergoing change of chemical feedstocks from…

In the Catalysis and Surface Chemistry group, we investigate how catalysis works on the molecular level. The group is divided in six subgroups, focusing on different aspects of heterogeneous catalysis, homogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis.

Central in coordination and organometallic chemistry is the synthesis of new chelating ligands, the synthesis and characterization of metal complexes with these ligands, and the study of their properties. An important goal in my research is to create understanding of the relation between the structures…

Promotor: J.W.M. Frenken, Co-Promotor: R. Felici

The nanoscale structure of a catalyst under reaction conditions determines its activity, selectivity, and stability. For the production of sustainable energy and materials, new catalysts are needed. By understanding the structure-activity relationships of catalysts under reaction conditions, insight…

The main research theme in the group of Dennis Hetterscheid is to understand and mimic bioinorganic multi-electron processes that are relevant to our future energy infrastructure. Reduction of protons generates hydrogen that can be used as a chemical fuel. Alternatively to gaseous hydrogen, the reduction…

Coordination chemistry is the chemistry of metal atoms

Promotor: J.W.M. Frenken Co-Promotores: I.M.N. Groot; L.B.F. Juurlink

In the search for sustainable energy solutions, the idea of artificial photosynthesis has been proposed as an approach with which to use water and sunlight to produce hydrogen.

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-Promotor: F. Calle-Vallejo

Can we tailor catalysts at the atomic scale by means of high-school chemistry and geometry rules?

The focus throughout this thesis will be on gathering fundamental studies of the detailed structure and composition of the electrode/electrolyte interface effect on the rate and mechanism of key electrocatalytic reactions.

Science, Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC)

During the 20th anniversary meeting of the Netherlands' Catalysis and Chemistry Conference, Marc Koper received the Netherlands Catalysis and Chemistry Award. ‘The ultimate candidate for the prize’, it says in one of the recommendation letters.

The dissertation describes TEM experiments on heterogeneous catalysts.

In most applications, electrocatalysts exhibit a large surface area to volume ratio, for example using nanoparticles.

Surface Reaction Barriometry: Methane Dissociation on Flat and Stepped Transition-Metal Surfaces.

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-Promotor: L.B.F. Juurlink

Using N2 dissociation on Ru(0001) as a representative showcase (for catalysts employed in the Haber-Bosch process), we have shown for the first time that non-adiabatic effects can substantially reduce a molecule’s dissociation probability on a metal surface. These effects are currently completely unaccounted…

Promotor: Huub J.M. de Groot, Co-promotor: Francesco Buda

In this dissertation iron-based homogeneous catalysts were synthesized, characterized and investigated for water oxidation activity.

This thesis focuses on the synthesis, characterization and performance towards CO2 electroreduction of mono and bi-metallic particles based on p-block metals

Heterogeneous catalysis is essential to many industrial applications. These catalysts are often comprised of supported nanoparticles, which contain various different surface sites.

Fundamental understanding of molecular reactions on metal surfaces is important for improving heterogeneous catalysis.

Organic molecules in interstellar space are important as they influence the structure of galaxies and star formations. Studying catalytic processes in space allows us to understand how molecular species are formed and chemically evolved in the interstellar medium and solar system objects.

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotor: J.B.F. Juurlink

To design the ideal water oxidation catalyst, understanding of the catalytic mechanism and decomposition pathways is essential.

Before the large scale use of renewable energy sources can be implemented in our society, the storage of electrical energy needs to be tackled. Storage the energy as hydrogen via the reduction of protons is a good option.

Catalysts are indispensable in everyday life. We know what they do and more or less how they do it, but we still lack a fundamental understanding about their functioning at an atomic scale. Therefore, Irene Groot from the Leiden Institute of Chemistry develops new measuring techniques to unravel the…

Promotors: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman, Prof.dr. E. Drent

Twenty years from now, the world population is estimated to be around 8.7 billion people, compared to the current 7.3 billion. In combination with the improvements in living standards and the corresponding growth in consumption, this will result in an enormous increase in the demand for food, consumables,…

Contact Metals in Catalysis, Biomimetics & Inorganic Chemisrty

From surface science towards industrial practice using high-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy.

In this dissertation, the synthesis and characterization of a series of iron complexes based on different ligand platforms are described.

Chemist Irene Groot has been awarded a TA grant. Together with Shell, Leiden Probe Microscopy, DSM Resolve and Utrecht University, Groot will conduct research into catalysts for the production of raw materials and fuels.

The Leiden Institute of Chemistry actively participates in several national research schools for MSc and PhD students. These schools are consortia that stimulate collaboration between research groups of the different participating Dutch universities. The research schools also offer advanced training…

Research at the Catalysis and Surface Chemistry group is comprised of the following research themes:

Promotor: Prof.dr. J.W.M. Frenken

In surface science there is great effort to move from studying simple, flat model surfaces in vacuum to investigating more complex model catalysts in gas environments (in situ). This thesis gives three examples of such studies using microscopy and spectroscopy.

Molecular complexes can be used as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction, water oxidation, and/or hydrogen peroxide production.

To construct catalysts that can produce fuels from CO2 innumerable times, we need to learn much more about how catalysis works. Irene Groot is conducting groundbreaking research into catalysis at the atomic level.

The main goal of the THEOR CHEM group, headed by Prof. Geert-Jan Kroes, is to characterize, and to accurately predict the outcome of chemical reactions at gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces. Here the solid surface is typically a metal or an ice surface. These goals are important to many areas in…

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Many researchers of the Faculty of Science are members of a research school related to their area of expertise. Research schools aim at collaboration of researchers from different faculties in the same university (interfaculty schools) or in different universities (interuniversity schools).