We are always looking for motivated students wanting to do internships, bachelor or master theses in our lab. Open PhD positions will also be published here. If you are interested or further questions arise, please contact the assistants from each topic or Prof. Sanchez-Sanchez directly.

Master Theses

Production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by catalytic conversion of biomass-derived alcohols

Assistant: Nicole Müller      Start: flexible

[Translate to English:] Master Thesis Ad SAF

© NM

Novel catalysts are needed that can efficiently and selectively convert alcohols into hydrocarbons within the jet fuel range. Ongoing research is aiming to develop zeolite-based catalysts for this application.
The objective is to efficiently convert alcohols to alkenes, which can be utilized as precursors for jet fuel, while preventing the deactivation of zeolite, which is a crucial aspect in the process.

Your tasks would involve:

  • Modification of commercial zeolites
  • Structural and surface characterization of catalysts
  • Evaluation of the catalytic performance for converting alcohols to olefins

Tandem Heterogeneous Catalysts for CO and CO2 Conversion to Key Chemicals: The Zeolite Part

Assistant: Christian Schröder       Start: flexible

Advert for Master Thesis 2022

© CS

MSc Advert

Syngas is a key ingredient to become independent of crude oil. Olefins are one of the most important industrial building blocks. Syngas can be converted into olefins in gas-phase reactions over special bifunctional catalysts: Mixed-Metal oxides particles combined with zeolites. Both parts of the catalyst are crucial, as they fulfill unique roles in the underlying tandem reaction mechanism.

In this thesis, these catalysts will be designed and synthesized with special focus on the zeolite function. Then, their catalytic performance will be evaluated under near industrial conditions in a lab-scale micro-reactor.

CO2 valorisation and H2 transportation using magnetic heating

Assistant: Stylianos Spyroglou       Start: flexible

Master Thesis Ad 2022

© SS

CO2 can be turned into something useful, via catalytic reactions. A novel approach to switch on or off a catalytic reactor is to use magnetic induction. Reaction temperature (~700°C) can be reached in a few minutes. The goal of this project is the synthesis of dual function particles that serve both as active sites and as material heaters.

Your activities:

  • Synthesis of iron-based supported catalysts
  • Material characterisation (XRD, TPR, Mössbauer spectroscopy)
  • Magnetic measurements of materials (VSM)
  • Catalytic evaluation in a fixed bed micro-reactor

Design of metal oxides for the conversion of CO2 and CO into key chemicals with tandem catalysts

Assistant: Mireia Palma Cazorla       Start: flexible

[Translate to English:] MSc Ad October 2022

© MPC

Syngas is a key ingredient to become independent of crude oil. Olefins are one of the most important industrial building blocks. Syngas can be converted into olefins in gas-phase reactions over special bifunctional catalysts: Mixed-Metal oxides particles combined with zeolites. Both parts of the catalyst are crucial, as they fulfill unique roles in the underlying tandem reaction mechanism.

In this thesis, these catalysts will be designed and synthesized with special focus on the zeolite function. Then, their catalytic performance will be evaluated under near industrial conditions in a lab-scale micro-reactor.