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Welcome to Our Research Group

   The Surface Chemistry and Catalysis (SCC) research group was founded in 1973 by the late Professor Radamis B. Fahim in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Minia. The overall objective of the research conducted is to synthesis, characterize and develop solid adsorbents and catalysts of technological and environmental importance.

Insights  Into The Research Activity
Lab Facilities

   In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of modern research, members of the SCC group carry out research in the fields of surface chemistry and heterogenous catalysis, and collaborate with other research groups around the world. Facilities available in the group laboratories, as well as general facilities available in and outside the university, provide the necessary equipment and analytical techniques to examine bulk and surfaces of solids. Financial support is provided partly by the university and by local and international funding bodies. Most of the research work is carried out by Faculty members and post-graduate students.

  • Thermogravimetric, and differential thermal and scanning calorimetric analyses.

  • Temperature-programmed reduction, oxidation and desorption from solids.

  • Gravimetry and volumetry of adsorptive interactions at gas (vapour)/solid interfaces.

  • Ex- and in-situ electronic spectroscopy of solids, liquids and solutions.

  • Ex- and in-situ vibrational spectroscopy of solids and gas/solid interfacial adsorptive and catalytic interactions.

  • ​Chromatography and kinetics of catalysis in gas flows.

 

Surface Chemistry and Catalysis Group (SCC) offer the heartiest Congratulations and  best wishes to  Professor M.I. Zaki  for his winning  of the Minia University Meritorious Prize in basic sciences.

News

1. Laser carved copper catalysts unveil secrets of turning CO2 into fuels Copper catalysts are treasured because they can trandform CO2 into fuels and feedstock chemicals. However, this process is typically non-selective. Now, using laser carved copper microprobes and computational modelling, researchers have created detailed selectivity maps that predict the best reaction conditions to obtain fuels and chemicals.

 

2. Single-atom catalysis  (SAC) is catalysis by a “single atom catalyst”, which is a catalyst that contains only isolated single atoms dispersed on a support. This term was first proposed in 2011 and has attracted considerable attention in recent years  (ca. 300 publication/y) as a new frontier in the heterogeneous catalysis field. The current state-of-the art, obstacles and future of the issue are to be found in Chemistryworld.com

3. The world's demand for energy, and the resultant carbon dioxide emissions, are drastically changing our climate. UK ECONIC Technologies is developing bimetallic catalysts that could take some of that CO2 and lock it up in high-performance polymer materials.

4. Bandyopadhyay et al. reported an alkaline surprise for acid rain formation. Simulation experiments have revealed that ammonia can catalyze hydrolysis of SO3 into H2SO4 in the lowest part of the atmosphere

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5. Jeroen van Bokhoven and Co. at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland have successfully designed a catalytic oxidative conversion of methane into methanol using a Cu-substituted Na-mordenite as the catalyst.

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6. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Bonn/Germany) has kindly agreed to finance Euro 16.000, for the purchase of a UV-Vis spectrometer in support of the research activity of our group. we are deeply thankful to the AvH foundation for its continuous support to our group.

Condolence

In 2015, we, and the international scientific community, lost three key scientits, Prof. N. Sheppard of UEA/UK, John Thomas Yates, Jr. of UVA/USA and Prof. Dr. H. Knözinger of MU/FRG, who passed away last year. They had helped nourishing fundamental understanding in the areas of molecular spectroscopy, surface chemistry and heterogeneous catalysis. Moreover, they had maintained strong support to, and fruitful collaboration with, our research group for more than 30 years. We condole their families, friends, students and lovers, and remain very grateful to all what they had done with (and for) us. 

 

Prof. J. Thomas Yates, Jr.

Prof. Helmut Knözinger 

Prof. Norman Sheppard

External Links

1. Introduction to Surface                        2. Chemistry Catalysis Letters                      3. ScienceDirect               4. ResearchGate                        5. Nanotechnology

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