Understanding catalyst preparation via electron microscopy for carbon dioxide conversion

多相催化在世界化学品的生产中起着非常重要的作用，并且在污染物和温室气体的转化中变得越来越重要。该研究生项目的目的是更好地了解用于制备非常重要的非均相催化剂的过程，如二氧化碳转化为甲醇的反应。学生将使用原子分辨率电子显微镜观察纳米粒子催化剂在煅烧和还原过程中原位形成（即在气体条件下加热）。该项目将为催化纳米颗粒的形成提供重要的见解，并为广泛的化学反应设计改进的催化剂。该学生将在国际领先的卡迪夫催化研究所工作，该研究所最近搬进了价值数百万磅的新建筑-转化研究中心。该项目将主要使用新的像差校正扫描透射电子显微镜，以原子分辨率对催化材料的结构进行成像（即观察单个原子）。作为新型显微镜的一部分，我们在显微镜内配备了支持气体和液体条件的支架，使我们能够观察金属纳米颗粒的形成以及它们在反应条件下的变化。在该项目中，原位显微镜将用于专门监测金属合金化和具有优异活性的催化剂的形成，用于二氧化碳加氢。"

Heterogeneous catalysis plays a hugely important role in the production of the world's chemical building blocks and is becoming increasingly important in the conversion of pollutants and greenhouse gases. The aim of this studentship is to better understand the processes used to prepare highly important heterogeneous catalysts for reactions such as the conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol. The student will use atomic-resolution electron microscopy to observe the formation of nanoparticle catalysts in-situ during calcination and reduction processes (i.e. while heating under gaseous conditions). The project will provide important insight into how catalytic nanoparticles form and enable the design of improved catalysts for a wide range of chemical reactions.The student will work within the internationally leading Cardiff Catalysis Institute, which has recently moved into a multimillion pound new building, the Translational Research Hub. The project will primarily use a new aberration-corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope to image the structure of catalytic materials at atomic resolution (i.e. observing individual atoms). As part of the new microscope, we have holders that enable gaseous and liquid conditions within the microscope, enabling us to watch the formation of metal nanoparticles and how they change under reaction conditions.In this project, in-situ microscopy will be used to specifically monitor the alloying of metals and the formation of catalysts with excellent activity for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide."