The research aim of the Catalysis and Surface Chemistry group headed by Prof. Marc Koper is to probe and understand chemical reactions on well-defined, mostly single crystalline, surfaces at the molecular level.

Advanced sensing techniques require graphene with high quality and well-controlled surface chemistry.

The Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) is the basis for research and collaborations of the Leiden chemistry groups. Chemistry is the central science enabling a healthy future in a sustainable society. Chemistry researchers at Leiden University take a fundamental approach in finding tailored solutions…

The main goal of the THEOR CHEM group, headed by Prof. Geert-Jan Kroes, is to achieve the ability to predict the outcome of chemical reactions involving hydrogen from first principles. This goal is important in almost all fields of chemistry and in many fields of physics.

Promotor: J.G.E.M.Fraaije, Co-promotor: A. Kros

Promotores: P. Stevenhagen, L. van Geemen Co-promotor: R.M. van Luijk

PhD candidates carry out a programme of independent research and additional (limited) course work, culminating in production of a PhD thesis in typically 4 years.

Promotor: G. J. Kroes

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

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

Promotores: P. Stevenhagen, L. van Geemen (Università degli studi di Milano), Co-Supervisor: Ronald M. van Luijk

The local ordering of atoms at the surface of a metallic particle determines its catalytic activity and selectivity. As energy systems of the future will be based on efficient catalytic conversion of small molecules in closed cycles, we study how structural effects of catalysts can be used to our ad…

The two-year master’s programme Chemistry at Leiden Univerity offers a fundamental approach in finding tailored solutions for complex societal problems in human health and environmental issues. You can choose from four specialisations including Research in Chemistry and Chemistry an Business Studies…

In this thesis integral points on affine del Pezzo surfaces are studied.

Surface plasmons (SPs) are surface waves at the interface between a dielectric and a good metal, and are formed by the interaction between light and the free electrons at the metal-dielectric interface. They provide strong field confinement for optical fields, opening new possibilities for enhanced…

Promotor: Peter Stevenhagen

Several techniques are explored for going beyond the born-oppenheimer static surface model for molecule-surface reactions.

Theorists have recently made substantial progress in simulating reactive molecule-metal surface scattering but still face major challenges. The grand challenge is to develop an approach that enables accurate predictive calculations of reactions involving electronically excited states with potential…

Promotor: P. Stevenhagen, Co-promotor: R.M. van Luijk

van Luijk

Improving environmental risk assessment of pesticides in surface waters

The master’s specialisation Chemistry and Education at Leiden University prepares students to teach the subject of chemistry to secondary school students. The programme comprises a one-year chemistry component, followed by an education component in the second year.

The master’s specialisation Research in Chemistry at Leiden University offers research training founded on a profound theoretical basis. It prepares students who want to pursue a PhD degree in chemistry.

Is it possible to successfully design self-assembling nano-scale protein skeletons for use as a vaccine platform?

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…

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…

This thesis contains results on the arithmetic and geometry of del Pezzo surfaces of degree 1.In Chapter 1 we give the necessary background, assuming the reader is familiar with algebraic geometry.

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

The surface and the edges of graphene are expected to provide higher sensitivity and specificity in detecting and characterizing single molecules. However fundamental physical limits exist in reaching an ultimate precision in detecting the dynamics of chemical and biological systems. The research in…

This PhD thesis concerns the topic of arithmetic geometry. We address three different questions and each of the questions in some way is about counting how big some set is or can be.

The Supramolecular & Biomaterials Chemistry group of Prof. dr. Alexander Kros is active in the field of self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides and applying them in supramolecular chemistry.

The research presented in this thesis makes use of small molecules (as H2 , D2 and O2 ) on well-defined single crystal surfaces (flat Pt(111), flat Cu(211) and curved Pt(111)) to elucidate the role of surface structure and degrees of freedom in the reactant in specific surface reactions.

The chemical industry must continue to innovate for a more sustainable, healthier society. The reseachers from the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) contribute by applying their knowledge to themes such as sustainability, energy and health.

The mission in this research group, headed by Ad IJzerman, is to design and synthesize novel and better ligands for drug targets. Drug discovery is a lengthy but inspiring adventure. It is often an interplay between academic institutes and pharmaceutical industry, in which scientists at university develop…

The master’s specialisation Chemistry and Business Studies at Leiden University bridges science and business development by focusing on areas such as technology management, innovation, entrepeneurship, operations, and decision making.

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,…

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

Alexander Kros studies supramolecular systems in a biological environment. The unifying theme between the projects in my lab is specific molecular recognition, i.e. the intermolecular interaction between complementary molecules with high affinity and selectivity. Studying, imitating and dissecting processes…

Science, Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC)

This thesis explored the question whether Scrum methodology might function as an appropriate scaffold to enhance students’ learning and to support teachers in context-based secondary chemistry education.

The long term goal of the Biophysical Organic Chemistry/SSNMR group, headed by Prof. Huub de Groot, is to reach an understanding of structure, dynamics and functional mechanisms of membrane proteins and self-organized biological assemblies and to translate this knowledge into new concepts for nano-devices,…

The master’s specialisation Chemistry and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in chemistry with extensive training in science communication.

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…

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.J. Kroes

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

Science, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC)

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

Aim: To develop and enable application of a practical, flexible, user-friendly platform to provide the scientific community with a tool to generate land surface products and its associated uncertainties and exploit these for data-intensive science.

This perspective addresses four challenges facing theorists whose aim is to make quantitatively accurate predictions for reactions of molecules on metal surfaces, and suggests ways of meeting these challenges, focusing on dissociative chemisorption reactions of H2, N2, and CH4.