A difficulty of studies on chemical kinetics are the reaction time scales and detection of their intermediates.

This thesis describes the use of a combined approach of computational and experimental techniques to gain novel insights to understand the glycosylation reaction and its reactive intermediates.

This thesis has shed light on some of the ways in which the local electrolyte composition can differ from the bulk and how these changes in the local reaction environment can determine the activity and/or selectivity of two important electrocatalytic reactions, namely, electrochemical CO2 reduction…

The glycosylation reaction is a pivotal reaction in creating new and complex oligosaccharides.

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.

Hetterscheid

Promotor: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman, Co-promotor: S. Bonnet

Promotores: G.W. Canters, T.J. Aartsma

In this thesis chemical and physical processes in the ice mantles on interstellar dust grains are studied.

Human civilization consumes a huge amount of fossil fuels, which has resulted in an atmospheric CO2 level which has not been higher in over 800 millennia.

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

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.J. Kroes

Promotor: Prof.dr. H.V.J. Linnartz, Co-Promotores: S. Ioppolo, H.M. Cuppen

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

Kieltyka

Catalysis is of extreme relevance in the production of everyday materials and plays a central role in many aspects of our life.

Sustainable energy from wind and solar is most readily available near the sea.

Promotor: G.A. van der Marel, Co-promotor: J.D.C. Codée

Promotores: Prof.dr. G.A. van der Marel, M. van Heel

Bicarbonate buffer is largely found in nature due to its ability to regulate pH variations around neutral values. As the pH changes, so does the speciation of the buffer.

Curved single crystals provide variable, but well-defined surface structures.

In this thesis, we study travelling waves in stochastic reaction-diffusion equations. We extend techniques from the deterministic theory for travelling waves to apply to the stochastic version, which allows us to compute the stochastic wave speed and shape, and draw conclusions on the stability of the…

Multicopper oxidase, laccase, can efficiently reduce oxygen to water and are mostly used in the enzymatic biofuel cells.

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

Dissociative chemisorption is an important reaction step in many catalytic reactions.

Metals surfaces form a group of effective catalysts for the reaction of small molecules such as hydrogen (H2).

Promotor: G.A. van der Marel, Co-promotor: D.C. Codée

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

The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an essential half-reaction for the utilization of hydrogen as a sustainable fuel, via the conversion of hydrogen to electrons and protons facilitated by the ORR. In the most common fuel cells, the ORR is requires high loadings of non-abundant platinum…

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.

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotor: L. Juurlink

Promotor: G. J. Kroes

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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.

With the energy transition toward a renewable energy supply and a CO2-neutral economy, electrification of the energy system is rising in importance, which leads to the challenge of long-term storage of renewable electricity.

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotors: A.I. Yanson, L.B.F. Juurlink

This thesis describes the use of bioorthogonal proteins in immunological settings. It provides an introduction towards the field of protein modification, which was used throughout the thesis for the expression of proteins containing unnatural amino acids.

Promotores: Arjen Doelman, Jens Rademacher, Max Rietkerk

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Promotor: P.M. Brakefield

Phospholipase A/acyltransferase 3 (PLAAT3) and PLAAT4 are enzymes involved in the synthesis of bioactive lipids. Despite sequential and structural similarities, the two enzymes differ in activity and specificity.

This thesis describes how complex and real-world relevant analytical solutions can be found starting from a simple Nagumo problem posed on one or two-dimensional lattices.

As a virtually inexhaustible source, solar energy plays a major role in future global energy scenarios.

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.

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