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.

Catalysis is of extreme relevance in the production of everyday materials and plays a central role in many aspects of our life.

Nowadays, it is well known that hydrogen and helium (and small traces of lithium and beryllium) were created shortly after the Big Bang, while the heavier elements are created in the cores of stars at different evolutionary stages. When these stars explode as supernovae, they expel metals synthesised…

Metal-organic compounds hold great promise as photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT) agents, leveraging their unique geometric and electronic properties to achieve precise spatiotemporal control over drug activation.

The goal of this thesis is to understand how interfacial parameters, such as the addition of organic additives, bulk pH or metal cations of the electrolyte, affect the relevant electrocatalytic reactions, i.e. electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction or hydrogen evolution reaction.

Heterogeneous catalyzed processes are highly significant to the chemical industry. Dissociative chemisorption (DC) of molecules on surfaces is always considered as a step with a high degree of rate control for heterogeneous catalysis.

Galaxies form and evolve through close interaction with their surroundings. As a result, the heavy elements ('metals') that are synthesized in stars, are found both inside and outside galaxies.

We use DNA strands to stabilize few-atom silver clusters, which show unique optical and chemical properties. This thesis involves the study of these constructs for various applications.

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-Promotor: L.B.F. Juurlink

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Aarts, Prof.dr. J.M. van Ruitenbeek

The focus throughout this thesis will be on gathering fundamental studies of the detailed structure and composition of the electrode/electrolyte interface effect on the rate and mechanism of key electrocatalytic reactions.

Galaxies are environments where gas coalesces, cools, and is converted into stars. However, it remains unclear the exact mechanisms through which galaxies acquire, redistribute and lose their gas.

This thesis focuses on the X-ray spectral analysis of merging galaxy clusters and the plasma code development for future high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy observations.

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.

Surface plasmons (SPs) are surface waves at the interface between a dielectric and a good metal, and are formed by the interaction between light and the free electrons at the metal-dielectric interface. They provide strong field confinement for optical fields, opening new possibilities for enhanced…

This thesis explores how electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy can be used to investigate key biochemical processes.

Materials with strongly correlated electrons show some of the most mysterious and exotic phases of quantum matter, such as unconventional superconductivity, quantum criticality and strange metal phase.

The main subject of this thesis is the design and synthesis of paramagnetic molecules for protein studies with NMR and EPR spectroscopy.

The redox-conversion reaction of metal-disulfide and metal-thiolate complexes are important, as they may shed light on electron-transfer reactions that often occur in Nature.

Promotor: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman

Metal-based prodrugs based on ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes have proven to be very suitable for application in both photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photo-activated chemotherapy (PACT).

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

In this thesis, the researcher developed a nanosystem based on the metallophilic Interaction between cyclometalated complexes.

The interest of this thesis lies in spin transport in normal metals and superconducting half-metallic junctions.

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

Projecten van de afdeling Environmental Biology

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

This thesis highlights the significant role of surface geometry and oxidation state in determining CO adsorption behavior on copper surfaces.

Lees hier alles over de extra financiële middelen die de Rijksoverheid beschikbaar stelt vanuit het Nationaal Programma Onderwijs.

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

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.

Indonesia is experiencing various environmental challenges related to its fast economic growth. Therefore, it is necessary to have measurable and applicable indicators to obtain accurate data and information regarding the costs of adverse environmental impacts arising from economic activities to support…

Binnen FSW is er een kernteam gevormd met contactpersonen binnen de instituten en op faculteitsniveau.

Kunstmatige fotosynthese heeft als doel om via chemische processen zonne-energie om te zettn in brandstof. Semi-kunstmatige fotosynthese is een hybride aanpak waarbij chemische maar ook biotechnologische processen worden gebruikt. Wij hebben als doel om een hybride systeem te ontwikkelen met behulp…

De onderzoeksgroep Organizational & Entrepreneurial Behavior onderzoekt het gedrag van individuen en groepen die in organisaties werken, organisaties starten, of organisaties leiden, met als doel om organisatorische praktijken te informeren. Door zich te concentreren op het gedrag van (groepen) werknemers,…

Scattering of light in the presence of nano-structured materials, i.e. with features in the order of the wavelength of the light or smaller, reveals details of how light interacts with matter at the nanoscale.

The external tissues of plants and animals are colonized by microbial communities termed microbiota. When organisms are exposed to environmental pollutants, these substances will therefore encounter microbiota at the exposure interface.

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.

Promotores: G.W. Canters, T.J. Aartsma

With the energy transition toward a renewable energy supply and a CO2-neutral economy, electrification of the energy system is rising in importance, which leads to the challenge of long-term storage of renewable electricity.

This thesis studied in depth the energy use and CO2 emissions of the industrial sector in China.

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…

Biopolymer sequencing with graphene edge-based tunnel junctions has the potential to overcome current limitations with the third generation of sequencing based on biological nanopores.

In this dissertation iron-based homogeneous catalysts were synthesized, characterized and investigated for water oxidation activity.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of mortality. Endothelial dysfunction, an early reversible stage of CVD development, is marked by decreased nitric oxide production linked to Ca2+ influx in endothelial cells.

The goal of the research presented in this thesis was to explore the chemical space of ruthenium(II) photocages, investigate their ability to host potent chemotherapy drugs, and to red shift the activation wavelength of the most promising PACT candidates to conduct biological studies.