Rebecca Gibson
MEng – Chemical Engineering with Energy Engineering, Heriot Watt University, 2017.
EngD Research Engineer
Sponsor: EPSRC and Johnson-Matthey, Teesside
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
EngD Project Background
During the preparation of a catalyst or functional material, there are usually multiple thermal processing steps such as drying and calcining. These thermal processes make up a large amount of the energy requirements in the production process and many of the methodologies have been developed from batch laboratory techniques, or via empirical means- which has resulted in procedures which exceed requirements.
The aim of this project is to develop a deeper understanding of these thermal processes- and what effects the processing conditions have on the final product formulation. This could allow the optimised design of thermal treatments for solid functional materials, and a reduction in the energy, time and money used to produce these.
Current Project Aims
1. Develop an understanding of the impact that calcination and drying process conditions have on the final product formulation, in two categories
-Surface chemistries
-Surface structure
2. Use thermo-kinetic modelling to evaluate the reactions occurring during these thermal processes and gain reliable kinetic information from these models, such as activation energies.
3. To quantify the sustainability and economic impacts of this work.