Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences EPSRC Project Proposals 2025/26 - Intelligent Catalyst Technology for a Net-Zero Fuel Economy

Eligibility: UK Only

Funding: EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award providing full academic fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant at the standard UKRI rate of £20,780 per year for 3.5 years. Training and support will also be provided.

Lead Supervisor’s full name & email address

Professor Sven Schroeder: S.L.M.Schroeder@leeds.ac.uk

Co-supervisor’s full name & email address

Professor Nora de Leeuw: N.H.deLeeuw@leeds.ac.uk

Project summary

Heterogeneous catalysts contribute ~£50 billion to the UK economy and are one of the key technologies to facilitate net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Sustainable catalyst design requires reduced dependency on finite noble and transition metals resources and other critical elements. In this project we will explore the use of potassium and calcium, which are abundantly available on Earth and have long been used as heterogeneous catalyst components, for example in the Haber-Bosch process, owing to their ability to influence activity, selectivity, and stability of catalysts. Despite their importance, limited attention has been given to them in the context of catalyst innovation for a net-zero fuel economy. Catalysts containing potassium and calcium compounds will be investigated to establish how the molecular structure and chemical state of potassium/calcium relate to their activity for the sustainable production of fuels. Data for activity, molecular structure and chemical composition will be correlated to inform advanced theoretical modelling required for a rational design of sustainable fuel production.

Please state your entry requirements plus any necessary or desired background

A first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline.

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