The Sels Group, headed by prof. Bert Sels, is part of the center of sustainable catalysis and engineering (CSCE), within the faculty of bioscience engineering at KU Leuven, Belgium. 🎯Our mission is to advance knowledge in heterogeneous catalysis for a circular and carbon-smart economy. Through innovative catalytic material and process design we transform renewable carbon resources such as: 🌳 Biomass ♻️ Recyclates 💨 CO2 Into sustainable chemicals and materials with: 💪Preserved or improved functionality 🌍Reduced environmental impact (degradability, toxicity, synthesis) Which we leverage into scientific, societal, and economic value through: 📣Dissemination via high impact publications & conferences 🤝🏻(Inter)national collaboration with universities & industry 📜Patenting and licensing 🏭Upscaling and spin-off creation
External link for Sels Group
Celestijnenlaan 200F
Heverlee, Flemish Region 3001, BE
Sels Group reposted this
THE SELS GROUP IS HIRING: We are currently looking for motivated PhD researcher to start in a joint collaboration project on fundamental understanding of the chemistry of the RCF biorefinery depolymerization process between the KU Leuven and Maastricht University. Find out more/apply here: https://lnkd.in/eSzXyN8K
Unique Biocon Lignin and bioaromatics
Read our interview with Sander Van den Bosch from Biocon at KU Leuven. In the search for alternatives to fossil raw materials, Biocon is using plant residues to develop bio-based chemicals. They opened a pilot facility “Biocon” late last year to prepare the technology for industrial use. A project that was made possible by the Flanders Industry Innovation Moonshot. https://lnkd.in/eGeR6d4K #biobased #chemistry #pilotplant #Moonshot
Learn about the progress of mesoporous zeolites: great successes for hydrocracking
A gentle reminder for our upcoming webinar next week, the second installment in the Zeopore webinar series. 🎙️ Join us as our CSO Dr. Danny Verboekend takes center stage in our upcoming session titled: "𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗨𝗦𝗬 𝗭𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲". 🗓️ We look forward to virtually hosting you on 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟰, 𝗮𝘁 𝟰:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗧. ✍️ Register now to watch as Dr. Danny Verboekend takes you on a journey across the exciting yet complex post-synthetic faujasite landscape. You join him in reaching the best mesoporous USY zeolite properties, and unlock the almost-utopian combination of superior hydrocracking performance with an attractive zeolite cost position. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://lnkd.in/eUzBYazh Registration is free of charge, but mandatory. In this webinar, you will learn about: ✅ Opportunities and challenges on navigating the post-synthetic faujasite landscape ✅ Status on the synthesis and properties of state of the art mesoporous USY zeolites ✅ Complexity and potential of advanced acidity analysis using pyridine-probed FTIR spectroscopy ✅ Demonstration of the potential of advanced porosity and acidity-based descriptors in hydrocracking #zeolites #USYzeolites #FaujasiteCatalysts #mesoporization #catalysts #industrialunit #sustainableenergy Zeopore Technologies NV
Scaling unique lignin oil
Read our interview with Sander Van den Bosch from Biocon at KU Leuven. In the search for alternatives to fossil raw materials, Biocon is using plant residues to develop bio-based chemicals. They opened a pilot facility “Biocon” late last year to prepare the technology for industrial use. A project that was made possible by the Flanders Industry Innovation Moonshot. https://lnkd.in/eGeR6d4K #biobased #chemistry #pilotplant #Moonshot
Great opportunity
🚀 Biocon KU Leuven is Hiring! 🚀 Are you passionate about driving the transition towards a sustainable chemical industry? 🌱 Do you want to contribute to the scale-up of innovative biorefinery technology? 🔬 If yes, we are strengthening the team with a lab & pilot researcher! 🔗 Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/e-GWuJ46 📣 Spread the word! Know someone who’d be a great fit? Share this post with your network, and let’s connect. #bioeconomy #hiring #biorefining #sustainability
We are hiring excellente profiles in the SELS group
Are you a researcher interested in circular plastic economy? ♻ We're looking to hire a motivated Post-Doc researcher to investigate the recycling of multilayer plastics through heterogeneous catalysis! Interested? Apply at the link below now! https://lnkd.in/ekji27qF
Are you a researcher interested in circular plastic economy? ♻ We're looking to hire a motivated Post-Doc researcher to investigate the recycling of multilayer plastics through heterogeneous catalysis! Interested? Apply at the link below now! https://lnkd.in/ekji27qF
❗ Publication alert❗ 📰 Our latest #JACS communication (ACS Publications) clarifies a claim in literature on the anaerobic oxidation of methane to methanol over copper zeolites that has been heavily debated since 2017. Studies in leading journals have reported that Cu(I) in methane-reacted copper-exchanged mordenite zeolites is reoxidized with a water-saturated helium flow at 200°C, accompanied by H2 release. This anaerobic oxidation is distinct from the typical oxidation processes in Cu-zeolite chemistry involving O₂ or N₂O. If true, this would have significant implications on potential methane to methanol technologies. 👨🔬 👩🔬 In our paper, we use multiple spectroscopic methods, including EPR, XAS, and DR-UV-Vis, to thoroughly investigate the role of water in Cu-zeolite methane oxidation. Contrary to the previous literature findings, we did not observe any oxidation with water. Isotope-labeling mass spectrometry experiments indicate that the detected H₂ is due to the decomposition of formate, a methane overoxidation product, upon contact with water at 200°C. Further experiments suggest that the oxidation observed in literature might be due to a minor oxygen leak. 🤝 This research is the result of a longstanding and fruitful collaboration between our group at KU Leuven and the Solomon Group at Stanford University. Many thanks to all coauthors Dieter Plessers, Alex Heyer, Jing Ma, Max Bols, Augustin Braun, Hannah Rhoda, Edward Solomon, Robert Schoonheydt and Bert Sels. 💰 Supported by Research Foundation Flanders - FWO , The Fulbright Program and the The National Institutes of Health.
Our first perspective publication describing chemical upcycling of plastic waste to waxes and lubs
❗ Publication alert 📰 We are thrilled to announce the Sels Group's latest publication (ACS Publications). This work forms the start of a series of groundbreaking studies on the catalytic conversion of post-consumer waste, focusing on the vital areas of upcycling and recycling. ♻ In this review, Jonathan Van Waeyenberg and coauthors delved into the #recyling of polyolefin plastics, the major component of post-consumer plastic waste. Valuable high-molecular weight products such as #waxes and #lubricants were produced and subsequently refined or converted into lighter feedstocks. 👨🔬 👩🔬 Many thanks to all coauthors Kseniia Vikanova, Brent Smeyers, Toon Van Vaerenbergh, Michiel Aerts, Zhenlei Zhang, Sajan Sivanandan, Hendrik Van Leuven, Xuejiao Wu and Bert Sels. 💰 Supported by Research Foundation Flanders - FWO), Catalisti and VLAIO - Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship 👉 Link in comments
❗ Publication alert 📰 We are thrilled to announce the Sels Group's latest publication (ACS Publications). This work forms the start of a series of groundbreaking studies on the catalytic conversion of post-consumer waste, focusing on the vital areas of upcycling and recycling. ♻ In this review, Jonathan Van Waeyenberg and coauthors delved into the #recyling of polyolefin plastics, the major component of post-consumer plastic waste. Valuable high-molecular weight products such as #waxes and #lubricants were produced and subsequently refined or converted into lighter feedstocks. 👨🔬 👩🔬 Many thanks to all coauthors Kseniia Vikanova, Brent Smeyers, Toon Van Vaerenbergh, Michiel Aerts, Zhenlei Zhang, Sajan Sivanandan, Hendrik Van Leuven, Xuejiao Wu and Bert Sels. 💰 Supported by Research Foundation Flanders - FWO), Catalisti and VLAIO - Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship 👉 Link in comments