The world of fundamental chemistry and catalysis, and the world of analytical techniques can seem disconnected for the student. In this project, we want the students to take the reins of their own study path. They can follow their curiosity and rationally connect the dots of how we have acquired the chemical information of heterogeneous catalytic reactions performed in industry, using state-of-the-art (virtual) analytical techniques.

Background

Chemistry and catalysis are highly visual scientific disciplines. When we think of chemistry, we can see the periodic table (e.g., color and structure of chemical elements), and molecular and solid structures (e.g. chiral molecules), at all scales possible from the nano-scale to large (industrial) reactors (e.g., pipes, vessels and furnaces). Without proper visualization of the molecular and materials complexity, some more advanced scientific concepts become almost impossible to grasp. Textbooks and articles are therefore always accompanied by images. However, these images are
inherently limited to static 2D examples, whereas the chemical concepts in the area of catalysis typically concern highly dynamic processes and structures in 3D environments.

Aims

The goal of this innovative approach to study sustainable chemistry and catalysis is to give the students a strong foundation and understanding for combining theory and research.

Project description

The student can choose their own pace at which they want to go through the virtual laboratory to find information about the reaction and analytical techniques. In the end, they will have to understand this information to be
able to reproduce the results in a virtual laboratory to prove the theory about the catalytic reactions. The course will consist of several modules that can be combined but each module can also be applied in other departments (and outside the UU), where we expect a great interest of teachers in analytical tools and sustainability.

Results