
Catalysis is at the heart of every chemical process, from biology to industry. Only by using catalysts can we reduce our footprint on the planet and only catalysts make some processes economically viable.
RCaH is home to the UK Catalysis Hub, which is a thriving and successful network of catalytic scientists who are developing and promoting catalytic science in the UK.
The Hub’s location at RCaH has been key to its success: it is not only geographically central, but also constitutes neutral territory for multidisciplinary, multi-institutional projects.
Access to facilities benefits research and helps foster collaborations at the campus, including with CLF, ISIS and Diamond. This has enabled a new user base and new science to thrive here. Future directions include the introduction of new scientific themes focused on optimising, predicting and designing new catalysts, catalysis for the water/energy network, and catalysis for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. These themes will be supported by growing industrial collaborations, an expanding postgraduate programme, and enhanced international partnerships.
In addition to the Hub, RCaH hosts several other groups across the broad theme of catalysis. We have excellent resources and facilities to support research in biological materials, petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Please read our interview with Sir Richard Catlow, one of the world’s leading lights in catalysis and computational techniques who helps to lead the research at the Catalysis Hub,
Artemis investigates ultrafast electron dynamics in condensed matter and gas-phase molecules, and for coherent lensless imaging.
Our group is interested in establishing structure-function relationships in catalytic solids as a function of both time and space.
The CLF is the UK’s national laser facility and offers access to advanced laser technologies. Two facilities, ULTRA and Octopus, are housed at RCaH.
We offer access to state-of-the-art spectrometers for photoelectron spectroscopy in our main laboratory based at RCaH.
PORTO is a portable testbed for ultra-fast measurements of photo-activated changes in chemical and biochemical systems
Our focus is on developing catalytic processes for more effective use of water and energy, waste minimisation, and material reuse and reduction in gaseous emissions.