The UK Catalysis Hub -'Core'

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Industry)
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of transport biofuels (incl. Production from wastes))
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of other biomass-derived fuels (incl. Production from wastes))
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Other bio-energy)
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells)
Not Energy Related

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor GJ Hutchings
Chemistry
Cardiff University

Standard

EPSRC

01 December 2018

31 March 2025

76 months

£2,201,661

Catalysis & surfaces

Wales

NC : Physical Sciences

Professor GJ Hutchings, Chemistry, Cardiff University

Dr A Beale, Chemistry, University College London
Professor R Catlow, Chemistry, University College London
Professor MG Davidson, Chemistry, University of Bath
Professor C Hardacre, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast
Professor AJ Mulholland, Chemistry, University of Bristol
Professor NJ Turner, Chemistry, University of Manchester

Project Contact, Axion Group (UK)
Project Contact, Sasol Technology Research Laboratory
Project Contact, Johnson Matthey Plc
Project Contact, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)
Project Contact, PlasticsEurope, Belgium
Project Contact, Invista Textiles (UK) Ltd
Project Contact, Lucite International UK Ltd
Project Contact, Solvay S.A., Belgium
Project Contact, SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation), Saudi Arabia
Project Contact, Arvia Technology Limited
Project Contact, Sabic UK
Project Contact, Eastman Chemical Company, USA
Project Contact, Inov8 Ltd
Project Contact, CatScI Ltd
Project Contact, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water
Project Contact, Knowledge Transfer Network Limited
Project Contact, Seymoor Limited
Project Contact, Ricardo AEA Limited
Project Contact, Unilever Plc
Project Contact, Astra Zeneca
Project Contact, BP International Ltd
Project Contact, GSK
Project Contact, STFC Central Laser Facility (CLF)
Project Contact, ALMAC Sciences
Project Contact, Econic Technologies Ltd
Project Contact, The Cooperative Group
Project Contact, Selden Research Ltd

Catalysis is a core area of science that lies at the heart of the chemicals industry - an immensely successful and important part of the overall UK economy, where in recent years the UK output has totalled over 50B annually and is ranked 7th in the world. This position is being maintained in the face of immense competition worldwide. For the UK to sustain its leading position it is essential that innovation in research is maintained, to achieve which the UK Catalysis Hub was established in 2013; and has succeeded over the last four years in bringing together over 40 university groups for innovative and collaborative research programmes in this key area of contemporary science. The success of the Hub can be attributed to its inclusive and open ethos which has resulted in many groups joining its network since its foundation in 2013; to its strong emphasis on collaboration; and to its physical hub on the Harwell campus in close proximity to the Diamond synchrotron, ISIS neutron source and Central Laser Facility, whose successful exploitation for catalytic science has been a major feature of the recent science of the Hub.The next phase of the Catalysis Hub will build on this success and while retaining the key features and structure of the current hub will extend its programmes both nationally and internationally. The core activities to which the present proposal relates include our coordinating activities, comprising our influential and well attended conference, workshop and training programmes, our growing outreach and dissemination work as well as the core management functions. The core catalysis laboratory facilities within the research complex will also be maintained and developed and two key generic scientific and technical developments will be undertaken concerning first sample environment and high throughput capabilities especially relating to facilities experimentation; and secondly to data management and analysis.The core programme will coordinate the cientific themes of the Hub, which in the initial stages of the next phase will comprise:- Optimising, predicting and designing new catalysts- Water - energy nexus- Catalysis for the Circular Economy and Sustainable Manufacturing- Biocatalysis and biotransformationsThe Hub structure is intrinsically multidisciplinary including extensive input from engineering as well as science disciplines and with strong interaction and cross-fertilisation between the different themes. The thematic structure will allow the Hub to cover the major areas of current catalytic science

21/02/19