Research Highlights

Pathway for C1 Conversion into Acetate Energy Carrier is Dictated by Kinetics in both Synthetic and Natural Systems

Metal acetate compounds mediate methane activation; this together with the new oxidative carbonylation suggests new approaches for CH4 utilization in chemical synthesis.

Dynamics of Reactant Binding at the Water-Solid Interface in Nanostructured Pd/CeO2 Catalyst

Understanding how reactants bind to active sites at solid-liquid interfaces is fundamental to guiding the design of new catalysts for conversions via low-energy pathways.

Spatial Distribution of Surface Functional Groups Revealed by DNP-enhanced Solid-State NMR

Understanding the atomic-scale distribution of surface-bound sites is of fundamental importance for rational design of catalysts and other functional materials, yet remained a challenge for spectroscopists.

Spatial distribution of molecules/sites on complex amorphous surface

Predictive Beyond-Mean-Field Rate Equations and Precise Energetics for Catalytic Surface Reactions

A long-standing challenge is the development of realistic molecular-level models for catalytic reactions on metal surfaces under low-pressure conditions. Here interactions between adsorbed reactant species produce subtle reactant adlayer ordering and also impact both (non-reactive) desorption and reaction kinetics.

New Capabilities Developed: Additive Manufacturing of Catalysts

Additive manufacturing enables the development of novel tools for catalysis science by combining customizable support architectures with a wide variety of chemical functionalities.