Catalysis and Surface Processes

Members of the Academic Staff

We are interested in the study of adsorption, desorption and reaction phenomena that take place on nanometric materials when their size, shape and composition are modified. Our studies are focused on environmental issues, mainly on those related to water and air pollution, as well as on the ones related to the production of clean and sustainable fuels.

We are interested in the study of metallic and bimetallic nanoparticles (mainly of Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Ru, Co, Ir and Fe supported on reducible and nonreducible oxides such as TiO2, CeO2, Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2, MgO, ZnO, CuO, Bi2O3) and their evaluation in gas phase catalytic processes such as CO oxidation, NO reduction, total oxidation of volatile organic compounds, water gas shift reaction and preferential oxidation of CO (PROX); in solid gas reactions as the combustion of soot; in photocatalytic reactions such as the degradation and mineralization of emerging and conventional pollutants in water and the photocatalytic production of hydrogen from water splitting. We are also interested in the adsorption processes of pollutants on siliceous materials derived from rice husk.

The group is also in charge of the University Laboratory for Environmental Nanotechnology (Laboratorio Universitario de Nanotecnología Ambiental, LUNA).

  • Catalysis focused on reactions of air pollution abatement.

  • Catalysis and photocatalysis focused on the production and purification of hydrogen.

  • Photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds in water.

  • Deposition of multi-metallic nanoparticles on oxides by liquid phase methods.

  • Synthesis of pure, doped and mixed nanometric metal oxides.

  • Valorization of adsorbent porous materials derived from rice husk.