Catalysis Research Center

Introduction


Center Director

Vision

The Catalysis Research Center will be a world-leading node for the establishment of a multidisciplinary approach to “catalysis by design.” The world’s energy needs will increase throughout this century, driven by population and economic growth. Meeting these needs will require both the development of new energy resources, especially carbon-free ones, and the efficient and environmentally responsible utilization of fossil fuels. In this context, catalysis is a critical enabling science for our energy future and our clean environment. It is the number one technology for transforming raw materials into technologically useful forms – whether for the chemical or petroleum industries or for the newly-emerging energy industry. Catalysis has a huge impact on the industrial, agricultural, and consumer sectors, and catalysts are enablers for a broad range of devices including sensors, fuel cells, exhaust gas converters, and water purifiers. Development of new catalytic processes across the chemical, petroleum, and new energies industries will increase resource and energy utilization efficiencies and reduce waste and overall environmental footprints. It is one of the most promising tools for sustainable development and green chemistry.

Mission

The center will develop new catalysts, new catalytic reactions, and new catalytic technologies which are crucial to meet these future challenges. The center will move from "catalyst discovery" to "catalysis by design."

Center Objectives and Approaches


Catalysis by Design

Recent revolutionary advances in nanotechnology, biochemistry, photochemistry, material science, molecular and nanoscale approaches to catalytic phenomena, in situ atomic-scale characterization tools, new reactor designs, and high-performance computing are enabling breakthroughs in catalysis science and technology. These breakthroughs will allow a predictive approach to “catalysis by design.”

Catalysis Research Center Diagram

Multidisciplinary Approach to Catalysis

The above-mentioned breakthroughs will be the result of a multidisciplinary approach at the heart of the research activities of the Catalysis Research Center and underpinned by the core facilities at KAUST. multidisciplinary activities include: heterogeneous, homogeneous, and photo- and enzymatic-catalysis, surface organometallic chemistry, and sol-gel chemistry for nanostructured materials. Tools and facilities will be extremely developed, and include: solid state NMR, electron microscopes, in situ and in operando IR, Raman, XPS, access to EXAFS and XANES for characterization of catalyst and catalytic processes at the atomic and molecular level, new tools in kinetics and catalytic tests (including High Throughput Experiments), photo-catalysis, and photo-electro-catalysis, and new tools in high-performance modeling.

Catalysis Research Center Diagram

The strength of the Catalysis Research Center will be the combination of expertise, at the same location, of scientists specializing in homogeneous, heterogeneous, photo- and enzymatic-catalysis. The Center will be focused on single-site catalysts.

Applied R&D Domains of the Catalysis Research Center

This “single site,” “material science” approach will be focused on applied scientific domains which are relevant to the petroleum industry, the environment, bio-based raw materials, polymers, and nanotechnology. These domains correspond to areas of need in Saudi Arabia as well as the rest of the world. Detailed scientific domains are shown on the schematic to the left:

Multidisciplinary Areas of R&D Focus


Research activities at the Catalysis Research Center will be grouped into eight main thrusts.

  • Development of high-performance catalysts for chemical and petrochemical industries
  • Petrochemical process design based on single-site catalysts
  • Scientific computing/modeling for catalyst design based on single site
  • Photo-catalysis for hydrogen generation from water based on single site, semi-conducting properties
  • High-value fine- and specialty-chemicals and materials; hydrogen chemistry
  • Novel use of CO2 by catalysis
  • Basic catalytic research in the area of solar-induced chemical reactions, solar chemicals and products
  • Research into catalysis of polymer synthesis also would contribute to or benefit from other KAUST work in carbon capture/hydrogen-rich fuels, fuel cells, nanotechnology, membranes, scientific computing, and process design and engineering.

Leveraged International Research by Partnership


Private Sector Collaboration

  • Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC)
  • Saudi Aramco
  • Various world petroleum and chemical industries

KAUST Academic Excellence Alliance

Academic Partnership

KAUST Global Research Partnership

Regionally-Relevant Focus Areas

  • The Catalysis Research Center will coordinate with related Saudi Arabiaactivities such as the Energy Strategic Research Thrust and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and will also focus on fields to benefit the region, such as: clean fuels, carbon sequestration, petrochemical process design and engineering, hydrogen and fuel cells, hybrid energy systems, nanotechnology, membranes, polymers, materials for high-stress environments, and scientific computing

Facilities and Equipment


KAUST provides advanced research facilities for catalysis studies. Advanced equipment for the full range of characterization techniques will be available including: advanced FTIR, chemical analysis (e.g., Raman, small and wide-scale XRD, various NMR techniques), microscopic techniques (e.g., TEM, AFM, Environmental SEM), surface analysis techniques (e.g., ESCA, Auger, BET), electrical and electrochemical measurements, TGA, and many other routine and advanced chemical and analytical tools. As opportunities emerge, high-bay areas and specialized spaces in the Innovation Cluster and Research Park facilities will be available for pilot testing and/or industrial collaboration.