Heterogeneous Catalysis Department: uccs

Department leader foreword

[Translate to English:] Axel Löfberg, Directeur de Recherche CNRS — Axel Löfberg, Senior CNRS Researcher

The Heterogeneous Catalysis research department was established by the Lille Catalysis Laboratory (LCL), a founding member in 2006 of the current UCCS alongside the Laboratory of Crystal Chemistry and Solid-State Physicochemistry (LCPS). The CH research area combines and synergises expertise in synthesis, advanced characterisation, molecular modelling and process engineering to address major societal challenges such as sustainable development, energy and the environment. The CH research area simultaneously pursues high-level fundamental research and innovations that can be transferred to industry.

The research area is organised into three teams. One thematic team covers fields of activity primarily linked to the challenges of the energy transition – notably hydrogen production – and to environmental protection through the preservation of air quality (VOC oxidation, DeNOx) and water quality. The second thematic team focuses on the development of sustainable chemical processes for the synthesis of chemical molecules (biomass utilisation, Fisher-Tropsch synthesis, CO₂ utilisation).

A cross-disciplinary team focuses its research on the characterisation of catalytic materials and molecular modelling, applied to reactivity and the development of spectroscopic techniques. The department makes advanced characterisation a key focus of its activities and coordinates the surface characterisation platform (XPS, LEIS, TOF-SIMS) at the Chevreul Institute. It is also a partner in the ROCK equipex (in-situ time-resolved XAS), a beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron. Beyond the three-pronged approach of synthesis, characterisation and catalytic performance, the research carried out within this research area aims to cover the entire catalytic process, from the description of the active site to the implementation of catalytic systems in the most appropriate reactors and processes. To ensure effective technology transfer, the research area draws on the Realcat equipex, a high-throughput platform, as well as the Catalysis Pilot Plant (catalysis under pressure and with actual feedstocks).

Presentation

The development and renewal of the chemical sector are linked to the development of heterogeneous catalysis, which is involved in major synthesis or chemical treatment processes. In order to protect our environment and sustainable development, these catalytic processes now take care to include a saving of energy and atoms, which can be achieved for example by a multidisciplinary approach via the coupling of different types of technologies or the implementation of hybrid catalysts. The advances and innovations proposed in the different research areas developed by the CH axis thus make possible to produce more environmentally friendly fuels, to synthesize new bio-sourced synthons able of competing with the petrochemical sector or to propose solutions for the treatment of air pollution. The CH axis has the skills and tools to address these different environmental and socio-economic challenges through an approach of better defining the active catalyst site architecture at the molecular scale and the mechanisms of reactions associated under complex reaction environment. The second pillar on which the CH axis strategy is based is to link the catalyst and its formulation to the engineering of its implementation in the processes. This global approach allows to maintain an important interface between the CH axis and the industrial sector.

Strategy

The heterogeneous catalysis axis combines skills in synthesis, characterization and processes to implement projects from the upstream phase (synthesis of functionalized hierarchical porous materials, replacement of noble metals), while integrating chemical engineering (reactor development) and the pre-industrial studies (Hall Pilot and REALCAT). This research approach is also based on advanced modeling and characterization resources adapted to in situ or operando analyzes (surface analysis platform, X-Ray absorption spectroscopy, EQUIPEX ROCK). The valorization of biomass and the rationalization of fossil resources use for chemical synthesis and energy, associated with the protection of the environment, constitute a large part of the research field of the Heterogeneous Catalysis axis. This research benefits from academic projects, PIA actions, the UMI CNRS-Solvay Site Miroir label, Euro-regional "Interreg" projects, European projects and industrial supports. Our strategy combines a demanding fundamental research approach with the will to promote our innovations by transfer to the industrial sector.