Quantum critical metals at vanishing fermion flavor number.

This was the question Leiden researchers from the Institute of Environmental Sciences CML posed in an article published last week in the journal Resources, Conservation, Recycling

The current production of a number of critical metals is insufficient for the large-scale transition to electric vehicles. This is the conclusion of a report by environmental scientist Benjamin Sprecher and organisations Copper8 and Metabolic. As a solution, they advocate more electric car-sharing,…

In the media

PhD Defence

How to improve the method in quantifying the combined effects of metal-based chemicals?

A critical look at the impact assessment modelling of metals in Life Cycle Impact Assessment and improvement options.

Where and how are critical materials currently used and how can this information be used to develop scenarios about their future demand.

Science, Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC)

Promotores: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg & Dr. M.G. Vijver

Metal-containing molecules combine geometrical features and a reactivity that are inherently different from that of organic molecules. My research focuses on light-activatable metal-based anticancer drugs and metal-functionalized liposomes. Light is a very selective way to activate photosensitive drugs…

Promotor: G. J. Kroes

Friday 30 January 2015 were the final presentations of the last course of the Minor Sustainable Development.

Promotor: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg, Co-promotor: Dr. ing. M.G. Vijver

The aim is to discover where differently shaped metal nanoparticles distributes in Danio rerio, linking the distribution with genomic responses and so come up with a Mode of Action.

Accumulation of metals in economy and environment and its associated risks, within the Netherlands and the EU.

Promotores: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg & Dr. M.G. Vijver

The Heritage Sector at a Crossroads: The way of Intersectionality. This project investigates how heritage institutions can achieve inclusion and accessibility within their organization, collection, and exhibition spaces that meets the breadth of demands placed by today’s “critical visitors.” Fifteen…

Galaxies are environments where gas coalesces, cools, and is converted into stars. However, it remains unclear the exact mechanisms through which galaxies acquire, redistribute and lose their gas.

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…

Coordination chemistry is the chemistry of metal atoms "coordinated" by other atoms, ions or molecules. Important challenges in the research on coordination and organometallic chemistry are to understand the relation between the ligand and metal complex structures and the (catalytic) properties of the…

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Schaye & Prof.dr. C. Steidel (California Institute of Technology)

1) Assess the trends in supply and production status of these critical minerals and mineral products worldwide and Europe’s dependence including on intermediate products such as permanent magnets, RE based super alloys, batteries, polishing compounds, phosphors, catalysts etc. 2) Trace the entire value…

Can we provide the Dutch government with an integrative framework, wherein the various policies can be placed and the need for further measures can be identified?

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.R. de Snoo, Co-promotores: Dr. ing. M.G. Vijver, J.P.M. Vink

Materials with strongly correlated electrons show some of the most mysterious and exotic phases of quantum matter, such as unconventional superconductivity, quantum criticality and strange metal phase.

Doctoral research on recent developments in museological practices by “critical” curators, interventionist artists, and personnel initiatives, focusing on ‘queering’ as an entrance point to broader intersectional issues; resulting in a report on the ‘Queer Baseline’ (to be launched in 2020), a popular…

It is estimated that approximately 30% of all proteins require a metal to function. Investigating the relationship between metal-binding and peptide/protein folding allows us to uncover fundamental rules for creating metallo-peptides and proteins, which in turn leads to the creation of new structures,…

How can we make make accurate predictions for reactions of molecules on metal surfaces?

Cars, wind turbines, solar panels and smartphones. ‘Critical’ raw materials like platinum or cobalt are used in all the technologies that are essential for the energy and digital transition. But we should be aware of the scarceness of these materials, a new campaign warns.

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.J. Kroes

What is the mechanism of action preceding a physiological effects induced by metallic nanoparticles?

This thesis aimed to investigate the impact of exposure dynamics, relative contributions of ENPs(particle) and ENPs(ion), and dosing regimens on the toxicity of ENPs varying in different physico-chemical properties, on the composition and functioning of soil microbial communities.

The dissociation of CH4 into CH3 + H on a metal surface is the rate determining step in processes which produce hydrogen, such as steam reforming and catalytic partial oxidation. Ultimately, we want to study the dissociation of methane on Ni(111) and Pt(111) quantum mechanically while taking into account…

In the last decade, the redox interconversion between metal thiolate and disulfide compounds has been extensively investigated for copper, but not for other transition metal ions.

It is possible to treat the dynamics of the dissociation of hydrogen on metal surfaces quantum mechanically, while taking into account the motion in all six molecular degrees of freedom without making approximations. Because the approximations of neglecting surface phonons and electron-hole pair excitation…

Assessing the risks of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) solely on the basis of experimental assays is time-consuming, resource intensive, and constrained by ethical considerations (such as the principles of the 3Rs of animal testing). The adoption of computational toxicology in this field is a high p…

This project examines the intriguing relationship between Greek literary criticism and Latin literature in Rome (first centuries BC and AD).

Describe and identify what dosimetry parameters are of importance to interpret dose-response relationships (eg., mortality, sub-lethal, growth or reproduction inhabitation, DNA damage and reactive oxygen species, etc. ) for metal-based nanoparticles? How to develop quantitative models that enable to…

Methods for accurately computing the interaction of molecules with metal surfaces are critical to understanding and thereby improving heterogeneous catalysis.

M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotor: D.G.H. Hetterscheid

The recent trade dispute between the U.S. and China has renewed the attention for the dependency of the U.S. and many other developed countries on the imports of critical materials. Recently this has led to an initiative by the U.S. government to team up with resource rich countries like Australia and…

Leiden University and VU Amsterdam are developing a joint research project for a digital platform on which you can compose and share storylines with the use of images. Such interactivity will make a boring high school history lesson much more exciting and personalized. Furthermore, it will stimulate…

On 22 January 2018, the Massive Open Online Course ’A Circular Economy of Metals: Towards a Sustainable Societal Metabolism’ kicks off. This course is developed and taught by associate professor Ester van der Voet.

Although nanoparticles are extensively used in various applications like consumer products and have most probably entered the environment, little is known about the effects of these particles on living organisms.