CBE Fall 2023 Seminar Series: Xinhua Liang (Washington University in St. Louis)

Catalyst Design and Synthesis via Atomic Layer Deposition

Abstract

Heterogeneous catalysts enable many chemical transformations of fossil resources (natural gas, methane, liquid petroleum, coal, etc.) into useful products. Normally, heterogeneous catalysts consist of small metal particles dispersed on a high surface area porous oxide support. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a thin film growth technique based on sequential, self-limiting surface chemical reactions, and has focused principally on the formation of oxide thin films with precise atomic layer control. Due to the unique nucleation process during the first few cycles of ALD, ALD can also be used to prepare highly dispersed metal nanoparticles or even metal single atoms. In this presentation, I will introduce ALD chemistry, metal and bimetallic nanoparticles prepared by ALD, and ALD thin film modified catalysts for various catalytic reactions.

Biography

Dr. Xinhua Liang is a professor in the Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He joined WashU in August 2022 from Missouri University of Science and Technology, where he was the Linda and Bipin Doshi Associate Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and had been a member of the faculty since 2012. He attended the Chemical Engineering program at Tianjin University, earning bachelor’s degree in 2001 and master’s degree in 2003. He received Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2008 and had three years of postdoctoral training there. Dr. Liang’s research interests are in nanostructured materials synthesis and functionalization by atomic/molecular layer deposition and applying this technology in a broad range of energy and environmental applications including catalysis, storage batteries, and gas and liquid separation.