Combined techniques för catalysis and plasma catalysis

Catalysis and plasma are key processes in the transition to a fossil free society.

Catalysis due to its unique attributes – to lower energy barriers and its selectivity – and plasma for its versatile applications in e.g. clean hydrogen production. The transition need new catalysts and more efficient processes to ltarget new reactions. Today, we lack a detailed understanding on a mesoscopic- and atomistic scale and of the interface close to the surface.

To gain these insights, studies at realistic conditions, so-called operando, are crucial to couple structure to activity or determine active sites. At realistic conditions, however, fluidic phenomena will affect and alter the surface and the reaction behavior.

To untangle the different contributions and solve e.g. cause and effect problems, several parameters need to be measured simultaneously and at different scales.We therefore propose to use a novel platform with a combination of different photon-in photon-out techniques that are pressure insensitive, and image both surface and the interface simultaneously, with high spatial and temporal resolution.

We also suggest to use samples with different complexities such as polycrystalline samples where several surface orientations can be measured simultaneously.

We will also examine the synergies between plasma and catalysis to learn about the intricate details of plasma catalysis, a new and unexplored area that can aid in the transition to a fossil free society.