Theses and research internships

• “Design and Testing of Nanostructured CuO/CuO2 Catalysts for Co-Electroreduction of CO2 and Nitrate to Urea” (Jai Singh, engl.)
  Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured  CuO/CuO2 catalysts, electrode preparation, performance testing in a CO2 electrolyzer.
  
  
• “Synthesis, Characterization and Reduction using Cp(CO)3CrH of Manganese-Based OER Catalysts” (Noah Schellander)
  Synthesis and Characterization of manganese-based OER catalysts, Usage of metal hydrides to reduce Mn species, electrochemical investigation of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), including LSV, CV, EIS and stability tests.
  
  
• “Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Ethylene Using Copper-Based Catalysts” (Dr. Thomas Lange)
  Synthesis and characterization of electrochemically active catalysts for CO2 reduction (eCO2RR) to ethylene, synthesis of Cu-based catalysts (with and without promoters), characterization and testing of catalysts in eCO2RR to ethylene.
  
  
• “Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Methanol Using Copper Chalcogenides” (Dr. Thomas Lange)
  Synthesis and characterization of copper chalcogenides (e.g. CuS, CuSe, Cu2Se) for electrochemical CO2 reduction to methanol, with and without promoters (e.g. V, Bi), characterized (e.g. XRD, FT-IR), and tested in eCO2RR to methanol.

• „Plasma-Catalytic Synthesis of Ammonia Using a DBD-Plasma“ (Michael Minas)
  Material investigation, catalyst development, process design and analytics to investigate the synthesis of ammonia in a non-thermal DBD (dielectric barrier discharge)-plasma.
  
  
• „Synthesis and Characterization of Ni/Ce–Zr Oxide Catalysts for Dry Reforming of Methane under excess CO₂” (Enes Caliskan, EU Projekt ēQATOR)
  Catalyst synthesis  (Ni/Ce–ZrO₂) via impregnation, co-precipitation , characterization (BET, XRD, H₂-TPR, and SEM/TEM), reactor testing under CO₂-rich conditions, kinetic studies and simulation.

• „Hydrogen Spillover on Reducible Metal Oxides & Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of Lignin Model Compounds“ (Mustafa Turan)
  • „Untangeling the HDO mechanism step by step“
    Creation of catalysts, which are used to go through the steps of the HDO mechanism in order to determine the responsible active sites for each reaction or step.
  • „Depolymerization of lignin using ionic liquids“
    Zinc chloride can be used as ionic liquid to dissolve lignin, metal oxide catalysts will be used to turn lignin into smaller products, optimization of reaction conditions and catalysts.
    
    
• „Synthesis and Modification of Zeolites (LTA, FAU, CHA, GIS) by Dealumination “ (Hoang-Huy Nguyen, starting March 2026)
  • Synthesis of zeolites by dealumination in order to influence the nSi/nAl ratio.
  • Investigation of synthesized/modified zeolites with regard to their CO2 adsorption (CO2 adsorption capacity/selectivity)
  • Characterization of synthesized/modified zeolites
    
• „The Hydrogenation of CO2“ (Dr. Wael Barakat, engl.)
  • Synthesis of model active sites of CO2 hydrogenation catalysts
  • Olefin hydrogenation reactions with molecular catalysts (Ir) supported on porous materials (SBA-15, COFs, MOFs)
  • Understanding adsorbed CO2 in porous materials
  • Gas-phase CO2 hydrogenation with Cu-H’s
    
    
• “Design of a Cost-Effective Molecular Heterogeneous Catalyst for ATRC/ATRA Reactions” (Misha Kumari, engl.)
  Designing a cost-effective molecular heterogeneous catalyst that combines the strengths of homogeneous and heterogeneous systems for efficient ATRC/ATRA reactions, supported by modern characterization techniques.
  
  
• “Heterogeneous Hydroformylation Using a Pt-Sn Catalytic System” (Zeki Beydeda)
  • Synthesis and Characterization of Tin modified metal oxide surfaces (via SOMC) (IR, NMR, UV-VIS)
  • Synthesis of narrow pored structures for catalyst encapsulation (BET, TEM)

• „Synthesis of high-surface Ni-particles on Commercial AlOx-supports“ (Supervised by - Apl. Prof. Dr. Yvonne Traa)
  Nickel catalysts with a large nickel surface area and high thermal stability will be fabricated on commercial alumina supports, the CO2 methanation reaction will be catalyzed, this reaction is considered a key process for storing excess electricity from renewable energy sources.

• "Immobilized Phenanthroline-Based Copper Catalysts for ATRA Reactions" Supervised by – Jun.-Prof. Dr. Deven Estes 

• „Immobilisierte Kupferkatalysatoren auf TPMA-Basis für ATRA-Reaktionen“
  Supervised by – Jun.-Prof. Dr. Deven Estes 

• Synthesis and Modification of 10-Ring Porous Zeolites
  Supervised by - Dr. Michael Dyballa
• Investigation of Catalysts using Solid-State (MAS) NMR Supervised by - Dr. Michael Dyballa

• "Systematic Investigation of Structure-Property Relationships of Ceria-based Materials as Catalysts for CO Oxidation"
  Supervised by - Prof. Dr.-Ing. Elias Klemm 
• "Synthesis of Mesoporous Aluminum Oxide"
  Supervised by – Apl. Prof. Dr. Yvonne Traa

Unless otherwise specified, each topics can be handled both in German and in English.