Promotor: G. J. Kroes

Promotores: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg & Dr. M.G. Vijver

Quantum critical metals at vanishing fermion flavor number.

Dissociative chemisorption is an important reaction step in many catalytic reactions.

In this thesis, we have used numerical approaches to study the effects of translational symmetry breaking on strange metallic systems as realised by the holographic duality⁠.

Metal production is not only energy-intensive and a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but is also associated with other impacts affecting human health and ecosystems.

Promotor: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important bulk chemical that is used in various industrial processes. More than 95% of the H2O2 used in industry is made via the anthraquinone process during which a large amount of energy is going to waste.

Humanity stands at a pivotal juncture, facing the dual challenge of environmental sustainability and rapid population growth, projected to exceed 11 billion by century’s end.

Metals surfaces form a group of effective catalysts for the reaction of small molecules such as hydrogen (H2).

Friday 30 January 2015 were the final presentations of the last course of the Minor Sustainable Development.

In the last decade, the redox interconversion between metal thiolate and disulfide compounds has been extensively investigated for copper, but not for other transition metal ions.

The confinement of molecular catalysts in metal-organic frameworks has the potential to lead to significant improvements in selectivity, long term activity and catalyst stability.

Fundamental understanding of molecular reactions on metal surfaces is important for improving heterogeneous catalysis.

In-use stocks of products can be considered as intermediaries between human needs and the physical world.

We are very excited to announce our Sustainability Series for 2023-2024. Each month an interactive workshop will be organised that discusses a specific theme of sustainability. Interested about sustainability? Do not hesitate to sign up to our events !

M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotor: D.G.H. Hetterscheid

The global transition toward low-carbon energy systems and the rapid expansion of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, are reshaping how modern societies produce, move, and process energy and information.

Naar schatting bestaat de wereldbevolking over twintig jaar uit ongeveer 8,7 miljard mensen, terwijl dat aantal nu 7,3 miljard is. Deze groei, gecombineerd met de bijbehorende groei in consumptie en de verbeteringen in levensstandaarden, zal resulteren in een enorme groei in de vraag naar voedsel, verbruiksgoederen,…

We gingen het water op! Op zaterdag 30 augustus 2025 gingen onze studenten samen met Plastic Soup Surfer Merijn Tinga de Leidse grachten op om te suppen én afval uit het water te vissen.

Ben jij gedreven om creatieve en geïntegreerde oplossingen te ontwikkelen voor complexe milieuvraagstukken? Draag jij graag bij aan een meer inclusieve, rechtvaardige en duurzame wereld? Dan is deze master de juiste keuze voor jou.

In deze opleiding streef je naar het beantwoorden van biologische vraagstukken in relatie tot milieu, ecologie en andere maatschappelijk relevante onderwerpen.

Promotores: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg & Dr. M.G. Vijver

Transforming governance for a just & sustainable future

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.J. Kroes

Promotor: G.R. de Snoo, Co-promotores: M.G. Vijver, J.P.M. Vink

The research described in this thesis focused on the preparation of S/N functionalized carbene ligands and their transition metal complexes, and the exploration of their application as electrocatalysts for proton reduction.

If mankind wants to survive into the 22nd century, we will need to change the way we live drastically. The human impact on our planet is everywhere, we are changing the atmosphere, the oceans and the land, leading to global warming, climate change, loss of biodiversity and pervasive pollution. There…

In this course, you will learn about sustainability and staying with the environmental boundaries of our planet. You will gain an understanding of the effects of growing affluence and population growth, the key challenges we are facing, and ways to influence your direct environment.

This thesis focuses on the synthesis, characterization and performance towards CO2 electroreduction of mono and bi-metallic particles based on p-block metals

Promotor: E. Bouwman, Co-Promotor: S. Bonnet

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Schaye & Prof.dr. C. Steidel (California Institute of Technology)

The research presented in this thesis explores the chemotherapeutic potential of metal-based compounds as chemotherapy agents, with an initial focus on the synthesis and DNA interaction studies of platinum and palladium compounds utilizing the [Pt(bapbpy)]2+ scaffold. The study identifies intercalation…

The demand for neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets is rapidly growing, while the neodymium supply chain is under pressure. Recycling can alleviate these issues. This thesis investigates the potential for deploying novel magnet recycling technologies and their environmental consequences.

This thesis advance our understanding and the application of molecular catalysts relevant to the reduction of oxygen as well as reduction of nitrite.

Promotor: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman

The electrochemical hydrogenation reaction is an alternative approach for the transformation of unsaturated bonds without the use of flammable dihydrogen gas.

The expanding population and economic activity are driving up global energy consumption. Simultaneously, there is an urgent need to transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources to mitigate the climate crisis, primarily caused by fossil fuel combustion.

Dissolution processes – next to aggregation processes - play an important role for fate prediction and environmental risk assessment of metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs). It is challenging to predict the kinetics of the dissolution process of MNPs in complex systems such as we can find in in vivo and…

Promotors: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman, Prof.dr. E. Drent

In this thesis, we consider various (electro)chemical phenomena at surfaces and nanoparticles and their underlying atomistic processes, which we studied using first-principles methods such as density functional theory.

Environmental Humanities in the New Himalayas: Symbiotic Indigeneity, Commoning, Sustainability' laat zien hoe de eco-geologische creativiteit van de aarde verweven is met de landvormen, culturen en wereldvisies van moderne Himalayagemeenschappen. Het boek laat casestudies zien uit Bhutan, Assam, Sikkim,…

Promotor: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman, Co-Promotor: S. Bonnet

Climate change is one of the largest challenges faced by humanity. To combat this research into alternatives to fossil fuels is ongoing. Dihydrogen is considered a good alternative fuel, since its burning only forms water.

Human civilization consumes a huge amount of fossil fuels, which has resulted in an atmospheric CO2 level which has not been higher in over 800 millennia.

Hydrocarbonylation of alkenes with carboxylic acids in synthesis of carboxylic acid anhydrides is relatively less explored. We herein present a study and optimization of a palladium-catalyzed hydrocarbonylation reaction of alkenes using carboxylic acids as the nucleophile, by which acid anhydrides can…

In surface science there is great effort to move from studying simple, flat model surfaces in vacuum to investigating more complex model catalysts in gas environments (in situ). This thesis gives three examples of such studies using microscopy and spectroscopy.

What physics controls the properties of quantum matter, such as how electrons flow inside high-temperature superconductors? This question has captivated the physics community and industry for decades, in part due to the great technological potential such materials have, but also because they have resisted…

Photocatalysis has emerged as a powerful tool for enabling challenging transformations in organic synthesis. This thesis explores the development of several photocatalytic reactions designed to form carbon-heteroatom bonds from less-functionalized precursors.