The UK Catalysis Hub III

The UK Catalysis Hub III is a highly effective and productive partnership between 46 universities, 15 companies, and 4 UK National facilities. Our vision is to deliver high-impact research across the many branches of catalysis focused on ensuring society achieves a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and low-pollution future. We will co-create and deliver multi-disciplinary catalysis research, work with industry and business partners to produce new technologies and support proof-of-concept high risk/reward research. Our objectives are: Co-create and deliver, across the UK, multidisciplinary catalysis research and Support proof of concept, high impact research and partnerships in catalysis Train, support and mentor UK early career researchers with an inclusive hub Enable advanced catalyst characterization by strategic national facility collaborations Integrate computational, digital and data science techniques Provide strategic leadership, partnership and advocacy for catalysis Deliver long-term economic, environmental and societal impact Build international networks, partnerships and collaborations The project addresses the critical challenge of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a sustainable chemical industry. Advances in catalysis are essential to reach its sustainability targets across various sectors, including consumer products, energy generation/storage, agriculture, healthcare, construction, and retail. Currently our sector is heavily reliant on fossil carbon-based chemicals; our research prioritises innovative science and engineering to diversify the sector, limit emissions and tackle other sustainability challenges. Our research integrates heterogeneous, homogeneous, biocatalysis, photo-, electrocatalysis, engineering and computational approaches to activate renewable resources, reduce energy demand and develop efficient processes to make basic chemicals, energy vectors, synthetic fuels, specialty chemicals, polymers/materials and pharmaceuticals. Our research will integrate advances in catalysis with renewable energy, innovating in reactor and process engineering design. We are strongly integrated with advanced specialist characterization at UK central facilities including those associated with synchrotron radiation (Diamond), neutron/muons (ISIS), lasers/spectroscopy (CLF) and computation/data (STFC Scientific Computing) and with key community initiatives, e.g. manufacturing and AI Hubs. The UK Catalysis Hub III fosters extensive partnership working through its collaborative, multi-disciplinary research themes and projects. Our 15 business partners include chemical producers and end-users and spanning major multinationals through to high growth SMEs. Our international partners include major catalysis teams based in the USA, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, India, South Korea, South Africa and Australia. Our national facility collaborations, accessible to the UK community, include expert scientific and engineering support, prioritised access to beamlines through block allocation grants, laboratories and infrastructure at the Harwell campus. The Catalysis Hub III will also provide a comprehensive series of events including specialist training opportunities, one day symposia convening different communities, networking with partners and an annual scientific conference. All our events will be free and accessible to the UK community. We are committed to inspiring, training and mentoring the next generation to achieve their career objectives and strengthen the UK workforce. We have established a series of strategic partnerships with other UKRI investments, hubs and centres for doctoral training and we will seek to capitalise upon and expand these partnerships over the hub lifetime.