PhD project

Making use of diffusiophoresis for enhanced mass transports off spatially inhomogeneous catalysts: experiments

Burak Akdeniz (PhD Candidate), Rob Lammertink (promotor), Jeffery Wood (supervisor)

Duration: 2019-2023

Funding: MCEC (Netherlands Center for Multi-scale Catalytic Energy Conversion)

Introduction
One of the essential components of the chemical industry is the catalytic materials which are mostly suffered from insufficient transport in their bulk. In this project, we propose to improve hydrodynamic transport away from the surface of the inhomogeneous catalysis by making use of the diffusiophoretic effect. The aim of this project is to (i) quantitative describe this process by comparing controlled experiments and simulations in 2D, (ii) to optimize the pattern of the catalyst to achieve optimal flow with as small catalytic region as possible and (iii) to apply this concept also to 3D catalyst (porous media).

Keywords
Microfluidics, diffusiophoresis, diffusiosmosis, microreactors

Technological challenges
New interfaces should be created to use the diffusiophoretic/osmatic more and more in reaction active environment. In the previous work1 , reaction rate is enhanced by using phoretic behavior and new interfaces.   

Research goals
Understanding of diffusiophoresis/osmosis sufficiently to design new interfaces to maximize conversions or understand performance of existing catalysts.

[1]: Visan, A., & Lammertink, R. G. (2019). Reaction induced diffusio-phoresis of ordinary catalytic particles. Reaction chemistry & engineering4(8), 1439-1446. DOI:10.1039/C9RE00103D