Research Philosophy
The objective of our work is to develop predictive theories of surface
chemistry related to heterogeneous catalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. We are currently
working on a number of projects in the fields of sustainable energy generation and conversion,
functional nanomaterials, fundamental and applied heterogeneous catalysis. We use a range of
experimental techniques including those aimed at performance assessment, kinetic analysis of
chemical transformations, in operando spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. These experimental
techniques are combined with first principles theoretical tools such as electronic structure
calculations (DFT), ab initio kinetics and thermodynamics, and optical simulations.
Watch
interview with Suljo Linic here
Prof.
Linic's Curriculum Vitae
Research Focus
Plasmonic metal nanoparticles are an emerging class of materials for heterogenous photocatalysis. Our research focuses on understanding the mechanism of this process using both experimental and modeling techniques.
The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction limits the performance of low-temperature hydrogen fuel cells. We have developed models to help guide the design of nanostructures which can drive this reaction more efficiently.
Most commercial heterogenous catalysts have been discovered through trial-and-error approaches. We focus on the bottom-up design of optimal catalysts through a detailed understanding of underlying physical mechanisms governing these processes.