Lee Hsun Lecture Series

Topic: An engineer’s approach to the application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in separation and catalysis

Speaker: Dr. Xiaolei Fan
　　　　　University of Manchester

Abstract

Crystalline nanoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging star materials proposed and researched for various applications that address the great challenges of our society, e.g. global warming and renewable energy. We have witnessed the very quick growth of the exciting reports on MOFs in the last decade. However, the application of MOFs as storage media, adsorbents and catalysts for gas adsorption/separation and catalysis, the hydrothermal stability of MOFs is a paramount issue to be addressed.

In this talk, the recent development of strategies in Fan’s group addressing MOFs stability issue in gas adsorption and catalysis will be presented, including the following specific topics of (i) the identification of stability envelope of model MOFs (HKUST-1) in the presence of water vapour for CO2 adsorption; (ii) the design of facile and robust methods for modifying MOFs with improved stability; (iii) the design of dynamic non-equilibrium adsorption processes to sustain the stability of MOFs, and (iv) the development of novel non-thermal plasma (NTP) process for sustaining MOFs catalysis. In addition, other research projects within Fan’s group will also be introduced to stimulate possible research collaborations. 

CV of Dr Xiaolei Fan

He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bath in 2010, working with Prof. Alexei A Lapkin in catalytic reaction engineering, flow chemistry and structured reactors. From 2010 to 2013, he took the postdoctoral positions at the University of Warwick and University of Cambridge, focusing on the research in catalytic kinetics and CFD simulation of reacting flows in structured reactors. In October 2013, he joined the University of Manchester and now is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering. His research broadly encompasses the heterogeneous catalysis, catalytic reaction engineering, structured catalysts/reactors and separation. Currently, he focuses specifically on development and characterisation of porous materials, ranging from microporous zeolites/MOFs, through zeolites with mesoporosity, to macroporous cellular foams, for catalytic applications.