Research

Diffusion and reactivity in single porous catalyst particles on the single-molecule level

Rational catalyst design is the holy grail of modern catalysis, which requires a thorough understanding of structure–performance relationships. Microscopy and spectroscopy both play a pivotal role in the study of these relationships through the visualization of the diffusive species, such as reaction products, and the pore network of a catalyst particle [1]. Direct relations can be investigated via spatial correlation of complementary imaging techniques, which has been proven to be a valuable tool for biological samples [2]. The rapid developments in 3D super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, 3D X-ray microscopy, and 3D electron microscopy techniques hold great promise for the development of correlative microscopy to study inorganic materials [3–5]. The aim of this research project is the development and use of correlative microscopy to study structure–performance relationships in single porous catalyst particles.

References:
[1] I.L.C. Buurmans & B.M. Weckhuysen, Nat. Chem. 4, 873–886 (2012)
[2] M. Hauser et al., Chem. Rev. 117, 7428–7456 (2017)
[3] A. von Diezmann et al., Chem. Rev. 117, 7244–7275 (2017)
[4] F. Meirer et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 102–105 (2015)
[5] D.A.M. de Winter et al., ACS Catal. 6, 3158–3167 (2016)

C.V.

Experience

May 2018 – Present
PhD Candidate Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis group, Utrecht University, The Netherlands Promotor: Prof. Dr. Ir. Bert Weckhuysen; co-promotors: Dr. Florian Meirer and Dr. Freddy Rabouw Research topics: multimodal micro- and spectroscopy, single catalyst particle, image analysis, structure-performance relationships.

Sep 2017 – Feb 2018
Intern R&D Process Catalysis, BASF, de Meern, The Netherlands
Research project supervised by Dr. Esther Groenveld and Dr. Peter Berben

May 2017 – Aug 2017
Student Researcher, Fuel Mix B.V., Son en Breugel & Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Research project supervised by Prof. Dr. Willem Kegel

Oct 2015 – Feb 2016
Lab Teaching Assistant, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Education

Sep 2015 – Feb 2018
MSc Nanomaterials: Chemistry & Physics, Honours & cum laude, Utrecht University, The Netherlands Master’s thesis entitled “Tuning the gel structure with temperature controlled sequential gelation; Relating mechanical properties and structure in microgel self-assemblies” supervised by Jasper Immink MSc and Prof. Peter Schurtenberger (Lund University, Sweden)

Sep 2015 – Sep 2012
BSc Chemistry, Honours & cum laude, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Bachelor’s thesis entitled “Insights in the Methanol-to-Olefins reaction mechanism in DDR zeolites; a combined isotopic labelling and operando spectroscopy study” supervised by Dr. Joris Goetze, Dr. Javier Ruiz-Martínez, and Prof. Dr. Ir. Bert Weckhuysen