Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT)

The Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology was founded 2011. Its mission is to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research and the development of new technologies and products in the field of catalysis and process technology of catalyzed processes. The focus of our work is the sustainable utilization of alternative feedstocks and their conversion into energy carriers intermediates. This includes the development of new catalytic systems based on a fundamental understanding of processes on a molecular level.

Events

14.05.2018	14:00 Lecture (B727 Kolloquiumsraum): Yuemin Wang, IFG Surface reactions on model and nanostructured metal/oxide catalysts: bridging the materials gap
07.05.2018	14:00 Lecture (B727 Kolloquiumsraum): Kristof De Wispelaere, Ghent University Challenges in the methanol-to-olefins process from an operando theoretical perspective
23.04.2018	14:00 Lecture (B727 Kolloquiumsraum): Martin Hähsler, IKFT Stabile Suspensionen von magnetischen Nanopartikel in thermotropen Flüssigkristallen

News

	Regarding new emission standards, crucial challenges emerge for diesel engines. Due to their soot-free combustion in internal combustion engines, oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OMEs) are promising fuel additives. The Synthesis of OMEs from dimethyl ether is an important step for a holistic OME production and was recently demonstrated at IKFT. The research is founded by Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR) and conducted in collaboration with TU Kaiserslautern and TU Munich. View article
	Research work from IKFT, and IMVT was highlighted in Chemical & Engineering News. By looking at a palladium catalyst while it converts hydrogen and oxygen to hydrogen peroxide, researchers have uncovered that α-palladium hydride nanoparticles were responsible for the selective hydrogenation of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. “This is a very interesting study as it probes the nature of a palladium catalyst under operating conditions and clearly shows the potential role of various palladium hydrides in this challenging reaction,” says Graham J. Hutchings from Cardiff University.  ACS Catal. 8, 3, 2546-2557
	Researchers at the IKFT have looked at a process that has the potential to oxidize methane selectively to methanol. With a focus on copper-exchanged zeolite materials they suggest that an ideal methane activation catalyst represents a trade-off between stability and reactivity of the active site that can be achieved by tuning the transition metal cation, active site motif and the zeolite topology. [Catal. Sci. Technol., 2018, 8, 114-123]
	The project “Magnetic liquid crystalline hybrid materials: synthesis of anisotropic magnetic hybrid materials via organized integration of nanoparticles in liquid crystalline matrices” is funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) during the third funding period of the priority program “Field controlled particle matrix interaction: synthesis, multi-scale modelling and application of magnetic hybrid materials” (SPP 1681). https://www.magnetofluiddynamik.de/spp1681/index.php/willkommen