Diploma in Chemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, 2004
PhD in Chemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, 2008
Joined Bell Group: Spring 2008
Research: Methanol Oxidation on Vanadium Catalysts: Influence of the Catalyst Structure and Structural Defects on the Catalytic Activity
Interests: Swimming, hiking, travel, European rock music, and breaking glass reactors
The activity and selectivity of heterogeneous catalysts is usually determined by the composition and local structure of the active site. Moreover, the catalytic activity of oxide-based catalysts might be affected by a local disturbance of the oxide crystal structure due to so-called defects,
for example oxygen vacancies. Knowing the relationships between the properties of the catalytically active site and the activity and selectivity of the catalyst system (structure-function relationship) allows a knowledge-based development of new or modified catalyst systems with a higher activity.
My research project focuses on developing structure-function relationships for vanadium catalysts in methanol oxidation to formaldehyde. In particular, a possible role of oxygen vacancies in the support for maintaining a high catalytic activity shall be elucidated.
Office: 510-642-1536, Lab: 510-643-3535
