Research / Areas of ResearchCatalysis and Reaction Engineering
Catalysis and Reaction Engineering
The discipline of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering (CRE) seeks to control and understand the networks of reactions that occur in ‘reactors’ ranging from cellular compartments up to world-scale industrial facilities, and includes reactions may be activated by heat, light, electrical, or chemical energy. Because of this broad remit, CRE is interested in intricate biochemical pathways, pollution remediation, and the production of anything from fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, to fuels, monomers, and polymers. CRE at Northwestern is highly interdisciplinary and often takes place in globally recognized, collaborative centers.
Research Areas
Our researchers study catalysts that may be small molecules, biological macromolecules, or solid materials, which harness light, electricity, or thermal energy as inputs. An important area of research is to understand how catalysts can work cooperatively or be arranged in space and time to carry out reactions with high selectivity or to synthesize molecules and materials with new properties. We also have strengths in the development of reactions for sustainable chemistry and in the modeling and synthesis of new catalysts and reaction environments, including engineered cellular environments, metal organic frameworks, single-site catalysts, and multicomponent oxides.
Faculty
Core
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Linda BroadbeltSarah Rebecca Roland Professor
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Michael JewettWalter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
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Harold KungWalter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological EngineeringDevelop understanding of molecule-surface interactions, reaction mechanisms, and synthesis methodology to enable catalysts by design for sustainability. |
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Tobin MarksVladimir N. Ipatieff Professor of Catalytic Chemistry and Chemical and Biological Engineering and (by courtesy) Materials Science and EngineeringFundamentals of catalysis by atom-precise materials and designed organometallics with specific interests in polymerization/depolymerization and selective oxidation. |
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Justin NotesteinProfessor of Chemical and Biological EngineeringDesigning and interrogating all types of catalysts and catalytic processes, especially for large scale chemical processes and novel applications in sustainability. |
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Linsey SeitzAssistant Professor of Chemical and Biological EngineeringElectrocatalysis, in situ spectroscopy, dynamic catalyst materials, and reactor design towards renewable production of fuels and chemicals. |
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Randall SnurrChair of Chemical and Biological Engineering
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John TorkelsonWalter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Materials Science and EngineeringDeveloping and tuning reactions for the synthesis and deconstruction of sustainable and recyclable/upcyclable polymers and composites. |
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Danielle Tullman-ErcekAssociate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
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Courtesy
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Ludmilla ArstildeAssociate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and (by courtesy) Chemical and Biological EngineeringProbing the heterogeneous catalysis of nutrient recycling by natural mineral oxides by coupling spectroscopic analyses with molecular simulations. |
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Omar FarhaAssociate Professor of Chemistry and (by courtesy) Chemical and Biological EngineeringDesign and synthesis of catalysts supported on porous materials with atomically precise structures for energy-, environment- and national defense-related applications. |
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Kimberly GrayChair of Civil & Environmental Engineering
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Chad MirkinGeorge B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, and (by courtesy) Chemical and Biological Engineering and Biomedical EngineeringMirkin develops nanomaterial megalibraries (>1 million features) for the high-throughput screening and discovery of energy-relevant catalysts. |
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Milan MrksichVice President for Research
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George SchatzProfessor of Chemistry and (by courtesy) Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Schatz group uses a density functional theory and molecular dynamics calculations to study catalytic reaction mechanisms. |