New PhD Position

We are looking for a new PhD student to join our group! If you are interested, apply via this link: jobs.tuwien.ac.at/Job/256193

Master Theses

Production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by catalytic conversion of biomass-derived alcohols

Assistant: Nicole Müller      Start: flexible

[Translate to English:] Master Thesis Ad SAF

© NM

Novel catalysts are needed that can efficiently and selectively convert alcohols into hydrocarbons within the jet fuel range. Ongoing research is aiming to develop zeolite-based catalysts for this application.
The objective is to efficiently convert alcohols to alkenes, which can be utilized as precursors for jet fuel, while preventing the deactivation of zeolite, which is a crucial aspect in the process.

Your tasks would involve:

  • Modification of commercial zeolites
  • Structural and surface characterization of catalysts
  • Evaluation of the catalytic performance for converting alcohols to olefins

Tandem Heterogeneous Catalysts for CO and CO2 Conversion to Key Chemicals: The Zeolite Part

Assistant: Christian Schröder       Start: flexible

Advert for Master Thesis 2022

© CS

MSc Advert

Syngas is a key ingredient to become independent of crude oil. Olefins are one of the most important industrial building blocks. Syngas can be converted into olefins in gas-phase reactions over special bifunctional catalysts: Mixed-Metal oxides particles combined with zeolites. Both parts of the catalyst are crucial, as they fulfill unique roles in the underlying tandem reaction mechanism.

In this thesis, these catalysts will be designed and synthesized with special focus on the zeolite function. Then, their catalytic performance will be evaluated under near industrial conditions in a lab-scale micro-reactor.

CO 2 valorisation using induction heating 

Betreuer: Stylianos Spyroglou       Start: Oktober 2025

[Translate to English:] Master ad Jul 2025

CO2 can be turned into useful syngas, via catalytic reactions. A novel approach to switch on or off a catalytic reactor is to use magnetic induction. Reaction temperature (~700 °C) can be reached in a few seconds. The project studies dual function particles that serve both as active sites and as material heaters. 
 

Your activities:

  • Synthesis of iron-based supported catalysts
  • Material characterisation (XRD, TPR)
  • Magnetic measurements of materials (VSM)
  • Catalytic evaluation in a fixed bed micro-reactor

Design of metal oxides for the conversion of CO2 and CO into key chemicals with tandem catalysts

Assistant: Mireia Palma Cazorla       Start: flexible

[Translate to English:] MSc Ad October 2022

© MPC

Syngas is a key ingredient to become independent of crude oil. Olefins are one of the most important industrial building blocks. Syngas can be converted into olefins in gas-phase reactions over special bifunctional catalysts: Mixed-Metal oxides particles combined with zeolites. Both parts of the catalyst are crucial, as they fulfill unique roles in the underlying tandem reaction mechanism.

In this thesis, these catalysts will be designed and synthesized with special focus on the zeolite function. Then, their catalytic performance will be evaluated under near industrial conditions in a lab-scale micro-reactor.