More information about Ben Nieuwenhuys

1968 MSc Chemistry, Leiden University (cum laude) 1974 PhD at Leiden University (cum laude) 1975-1976 Post-doc at University California at Berkeley (USA) 1976-present Leiden University, various positions. 1996 visiting professor Univ.Louis Pasteur/Strasbourg (France)2002 visiting professor Univ. Hokkaido/Sapporo (Japan) From 2002 part-time professor TU Eindhoven 2006 visiting professor Univ.Louis Pasteur/Strasbourg (France) Current Research Interests The research focuses on the atomic level understanding of heterogeneous catalysis and other surface processes. More in particular, the relationship between activity/selectivity of a catalyst and structure/composition of sites present on the surface is studied. These goals are achieved by correlating results of experiments on 1) single crystal surfaces and other model systems by using the surface science approach with 2) those obtained on high surface area ('real') catalysts. The reactions studied belong to the category of environmental catalysis, including reduction of nitrogen oxides, oxidation of CO and hydrocarbons, selective oxidation of ammonia, and selective oxidation of CO in a hydrogen atmosphere. Hydrogenation reactions on Raney-type catalysts. Effect of additives. The same reactions are studied on model catalysts with known structure and composition and over real, supported catalysts. Specific topics are: * non-linear processes on surfaces such as oscillations in rate and selectivity of catalytic reactions * multicomponent catalysts consisting of noble metals and transition metal oxides * structure of surfaces and the effect of the surface structure on catalytic activity and selectivity * automotive catalysis and selective reduction of nitrogen oxides. * gold catalysis. Fundamental understanding. Other interests Prof. Nieuwenhuys is (co)author of more than 250 publications and is involved in various collaborative projects. He was a member of the editorial board of the journal “Thin Solid Films”, and from 2000 one of the editors of 'Catalysis Today'. He is a member of the board of the Dutch Vacuum Society and elected to the board of the International Surface Science Division of IVSTA. He was and is involved in the organization of various conferences in the fields of catalysis and surface science. In 2003 chairman of the catalyst committee of the int. congress GOLD 2003, Vancouver. In 2006 member of the catalyst committee Gold 2006, Limerick, member of the advisory board 7th Int. Congress on Catalysis. Automotive Pollution Control, Brussels, and Program Committee 7th Conference on mechanisms of catalytic reactions, St.Petersburg.

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