Single atom catalysts are an emerging class of unique materials with atomically dispersed metal sites acting as active centres for catalysis. Since their discovery in the past decade, single atom catalysts have opened a new frontier in catalysis research with applications in diverse fields.
We have been working on the development of single atom catalysts for the selective production of propylene from propane. In this project, the student will work on the characterization and confirmation of “single atom” nature of the catalysts by analysing X-ray absorption spectra of the catalysts.
The work involves computational analysis of experimental synchrotron data (that has already been collected). The student will get an opportunity to learn about advanced spectroscopic characterization of novel catalytic materials and its applications in industry-relevant processes.