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Michael Bowker

Yr Athro Michael Bowker

Professor of Surface Science and Deputy Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute

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Research Group: Heterogeneous Catalysis and Cardiff Catalysis Institute

Research Interests

Prof. Bowker leads the Heterogeneous Catalysis and Surface Science group in Cardiff, consisting of nine academic members of staff and 70 researchers. He founded the Wolfson Nanoscience Laboratory at Cardiff in 2006 and is Deputy Director of the recently established Cardiff Catalysis Institute. His research has focused on surface structure/reactivity and catalysis, ranging from theoretical studies of the effect of sintering on product yields, to selective oxidation catalysis on oxide nanomaterials, to studies of adsorption on well-defined surfaces. He has used STM for 20 years to study various aspects of surface structure and reactivity, pioneering the use of high temperature, atomic resolution STM in this field. The group continues to focus on aspects of surface science and catalysis, now extending to include nanofabrication, nanoengineering and bio-surface interactions.

For more information, click on the 'Research' tab above.

Teaching

CH3101 Foundations of Physical Chemistry

CH2319 Nanoscience and Surfaces

CHT215 Key Skills in Catalysis

Cyhoeddiad

2024

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Ymchwil

Research Interests

  • Catalysis, particularly selective oxidation and photocatalysis, the latter mainly for hydrogen production.
  • Fundamental research into the preparation and characteristics of catalysts used for environmental protection, especially for the removal of pollutants from cars
  • Nanofabrication and nanoengineering
  • Nanofabrication of model catalysts, consisting of nanoparticles anchored to oxide surfaces, and imaging them with scanning tunnelling microscopy
  • Investigation of the atomic-scale structure and reactivity of crystalline surfaces

The work of my group is aimed at gaining an understanding aspects of heterogeneous catalysis. This especially involves aspects of the structure and reactivity of anchored nanoparticles, that is, small metal particles (e.g. Au, Pd, Pt) bound to inorganic surfaces. This is of great importance in relation to the understanding of nanostructures generally, but it is also of practical relevance - for example, we work on iron molybdate catalysts for the selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde, and on the production of new fuels (especially hydrogen) using photocatalysis (examples of this work are below). We use a wide range of experimental methods and have recently made significant new investments in equipment. We have the ability to image surfaces and nanoparticles at the atomic scale using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and examples of this type of work are shown below. Members of the group regularly give presentations at scientific meetings in the UK and abroad.

Diagram

(Left) An atomic force microscopy image of an alumina surface which has had a film of gold deposited, and is then nanofabricated by an ion beam. This leaves channels in the surface (centre of the image) and after heating gold is removed form this area but remains   in the unfabricated area outside this (as ~ 100nm sized Au particles). This work was carried out in collaboration with the Manufacturing Engineering Centre at Cardiff University. (Right) Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microcopy (acSTEM) of an iron molybdate catalytic nanoparticle, and below it a plot of Mo level across the particle, showing Mo enrichment at the surface. Carried out in collaboration with Mervyn Shannon at Superstem, Daresbury, UK.

Diagram

(Left) Atomic resolution image, taken using scanning tunneling microscopy, STM) of an iron oxide crystal surface with small amounts of Mo deposited (the bright areas). (Right) Scheme of the mechanism of the photocatalytic reforming of methanol on gold catalysts used to produce hydrogen in a sustainable manner.

Bywgraffiad

PhD in Surface Science, University of Liverpool, 1977, supervisor Prof David King

Research Fellow, Dept. Chem. Eng., Stanford University, California, with Prof R.J. Madix 1977-9, working on catalytic reactions on well-defined surfaces.

Senior Research Scientist, ICI Corporate Laboratory, Runcorn, England 1979-87. Working on various aspects of industrial catalysis, using traditional catalytic methods and surface science. Reactions included ethylene epoxidation, ammonia synthesis, methanol synthesis, shift reaction and others.

Founding Assistant Director, Leverhulme Centre for Innovative Catalysis,Dept. Chemistry, University of Liverpool. 1987-93. Developing this centre from foundation. Covering a range of catalytic processes and surface science.

Principal Scientist, IRC in Surface Science, 1988-95. Again, a founding member of this centre, leading a team devoted to the study of adsorption, reactions and structure of well-defined surfaces.

Professor and Head of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, 1993-2003. Responsible for organising Physical Chemistry teaching, researching aspects of surface science and catalysis and developing physical chemistry research in the department.

Professor of Surface Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, 2003. Head of Heterogeneous Catalysis and Surfaces Group. Development of surface science of nano particles. Focus on Slective oxidation catalysis and photocatalysis. Founder of the Wolfson Nanoscience Laboratory, 2006. Appointed Deputy Director, Cardiff Catalysis Institute, 2009