"Through the working glass: operando spectroscopy of composites" by Andriy Budnyk

Seminar by Andriy Budnyk, Dr., Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Operando methodology realizes the idea of observing a functional material under actual working conditions. The approach has been actively adopted in the field of catalysis because of providing experimental evidence for valuable insights into the exact catalytic mechanism. The real-time spectral acquisition of the ongoing reaction facilitates establishing the structure-activity relationship of the substrate-catalyst species. This information is of paramount importance for optimization of many industrially relevant catalysts as well as for the development of novel materials for energy conversion.

The selection of examples will illustrate how operando methodology can be practically realized in a laboratory and in a large-scale scientific facility (a synchrotron). The main focus will be given to a composite of porous silica glass doped with transition metals. This system was studied by operando optical spectroscopy as a model catalyst for the polymerization of α-olefins. The examples will be united into a picture puzzle of the modern applications of operando spectroscopic techniques.