Professor Laura Torrente Murciano

Leader of the Process Integration and Catalysis Group

The general focus on the research group  is the integration of processes and development of novel catalytic routes for sustainable technologies. Our research involves different aspects:

1. Reaction engineering: ranging from the development of 3D printed microdevices for the continuous production of metal nanoparticles with tuneable sizes to differential reactors for kinetic studies and membrane reactors.
2. Integration of reaction and separation steps in chemical processes: with two main activities in the area of i. multiphasic systems in emulsions and ii. Metallic membranes for in-situ hydrogen separation.
3. Development of nanostructured materials as catalytic supports with a focus on the structure-property relationships of a wide range of materials such as ceria, titanate, alumina and magnesia. In this field, we investigate the use of certain morphologies for the physical stabilisation of metal nanoparticles (e.g. gold, cobalt, palladium) for a wide of catalytic applications.
4. Low temperature activation of molecules, specially methane and CO2 utilisation.
5. Use of ammonia as a vector of sustainable hydrogen. Our activities range from the development of low temperature ammonia decomposition catalysts, integration within the existing PEM fuel cell technology and life cycle analysis.