The Faculty of Science, Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic) invites applications for a Research fellow position in the Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry. The position is funded by European DESIRED project on Direct co-processing of CO₂ & water to sustainable multicarbon energy products in novel photocatalytic reactor (https://desired-project.eu/).

Project summary:

Due to molecular sieving effect, high adsorption capacity and adjustable chemical composition zeolites are efficient catalysts for a number of processes. However, there is still a lack of synthesis tools for generation of active centers of particular characteristics at particular location in the zeolite frameworks. In addition, there ... more

Project summary:

Zeolites are robust and environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalysts. They contain framework metal ions, which act as Bronsted or Lewis acid sites. In particular, the Lewis acid sites (generated, e.g., by incorporated Ti, Sn, Zr, and Hf ions) catalyze selective redox reactions such as oxidation with peroxides or hydrogen ... more

Project summary:

Metal nanoparticles immobilized at zeolite supports are important class of heterogenous catalysts for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation, reforming, and water-gas shift reactions. Zeolites, porous elementosilicates, are used to encapsulate metal nanoparticles to improve their stability. Currently, in-situ encapsulation and post-synthesis functionalization are two main synthesis strategies for metal incorporation ... more

Zeolites are porous elementosilicates with vast applications in the fields of catalysis, sorption, and ion-exchange. Their advantage lies in properties, such as high adsorption capacity, defined microporosity (resulting in molecular sieving effect), adjustable chemical composition, and possibility for post-synthesis modifications. Conventional synthesis of zeolites uses solvothermal methods that are limited ... more

Project summary:

Development of novel photo(electro)catalysts for conversion of green-house gas CO2 is crucial to reach sustainable approach in carbon economy. Different materials have been studied; however, recent attention has turned to low-dimensional materials and improvement of their activity via enhancing the mass transfer and using metal nanoparticles as cocatalysts.

Project summary:

Heterogeneous single-site catalysts are the latest generation materials enabling to maximize the profit and minimize the waste-related issues during production of important chemicals. Although zeolites have been the key industrial catalysts for several decades, development of their single-site representatives as well as analytical techniques for detailed characterization of ... more

Topics available for bachelor studies

1. Mechanochemistry in zeolite science (Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Rainer)
2. Crystal Structure from 3D electron diffraction (Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Rainer)
3. Rational design of Lewis acid sites in Al-Si zeolites (Supervisor: Dr. Mariya Shamzhy)
4. Hydrogenation Reactions over Bimetalic Nanoparticles (Supervisor: Dr. Jan Přech)
... more