Research Expertise and Interest

chemical engineering, catalytic materials, heterogeneous catalysis, chemical reaction engineering, methane and biomass coversion processes, refining processes, hydrogen generation, alkane activation deoxygenatiion and desulfurization catalysis, zeolites

Research Description

Professor Iglesia has been involved in studies of heterogeneous catalysts for the direct and indirect conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons, uses of light alkanes in desulfurization and de-NOx, reactions, dehydrogenation of light alkanes to alkenes and aromatics, catalytic reforming and cracking processes, for low-temperature isomerization, alkylation, and combustion reactions. Current research projects also include the practical use of catalytic membranes to combine reaction and separation functions in alkane dehydrogenation and conversion processes and the development of theoretical methods for predicting the structure, transport, and chemical properties of porous solid catalysts. His research group at Berkeley combines expertise and facilities for the synthesis of novel catalytic solids, their in-situ structural and mechanistic characterization, and the detailed modeling of kinetic and transport processes in catalytic processes relevant to oil refining and petrochemical synthesis.