The working group is focusing on understanding and developing of more efficient catalysts in a wide range of applications such as chemical processes for the reduction of harmful emissions, catalytic processes for green production of chemicals, hydrogen based energy production, as well as the catalytic upgrade of renewable feedstock to achieve a zero-carbon footprint.
Technical and industrial relevant chemical processes such as catalysis and electrochemistry occur at solid surfaces in complex environments in terms of material composition, pressure, temperature and medium. As a consequence, the atomic scale structure and the environmental composition close to the active material which governs the chemical processes are notoriously difficult to determine. Traditionally, most investigations of catalysts or electrodes for electro catalysis are performed ex-situ or post mortem, leading to difficulties in correlating material structure with function, particularly on the atomic scale. MAX IV offers unique capabilities of in situ and operando investigations of catalysts in harsh environments such as high temperatures and high pressures or in electrolytes. Investigations of catalysts under working conditions with high temporal resolution facilitating a new understanding of complex chemical processes leading to the development of better materials/devices for catalysis and electrocatalysis.
The structural information of the catalyst, and its transient phases between the inactive and active phases, will be studied on the atomic scale. The information gained from experiments at MAX IV coupled with theoretical simulations should provide a new view on chemical reactions at surfaces promoting our current understanding, to enable breakthroughs in the design of superior catalyst and electrode materials based on atomistic knowledge and control.
New Materials Core Group Leader, LINXS Fellow
Elizabeth is the initiator of the Theme and is the chair of the Core Group; she has extensive experience with both neutron and x-ray scattering methods, with a particular focus on magnetic materials. She is a professor at the Division of Synchrotron Radiation Research, within the Department of Physics, Lund University, and is tasked with promoting research into magnetic materials at Lund University. She will lead Working Group 1 (functional magnetic materials). Elizabeth is also a board member for the Condensed Matter Physics section of the Svenska Fysikersamfundet, and will be able to promote LINXS activities through this as well.