About the project
The University of Southampton is expanding its PhD research in the area of Quantum Technology Engineering. In addition to the research project outlined below you will receive substantial training in scientific, technical, and commercial skills.
Catalysis is a central process in pharmacology and industrial chemistry that allows sophisticated chemical reactions to proceed with high yield at moderate pressures and temperatures. Catalysts are needed, in particular, for carbon dioxide capture and recycling. However, a common problem is that chemists do not actually know how some empirically discovered catalysts work. One of the ways of finding out is nuclear magnetic resonance - a quantum technology that uses the magnetic moments associated with nuclear spin.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of carbon capture catalysts uses atomic nuclei (such as 27Al and 14N) that are not spherical. They are informative, but hard to use because they also have an electric quadrupole moment.
This project will develop quantum control methods that facilitate magnetic resonance with quadrupolar nuclei, with the end goal of improving the catalytic performance of these materials, as well as to advance the corresponding magnetic resonance techniques for other applications. Application of this research will be directed to the investigation of the 14N for amines tethered on porous materials (provided from our collaborator in Bath), which are cutting edge materials for capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, i.e., direct air capture.
This project will develop skills and expertise in quantum theory, quantum control, supercomputing, microelectronics and magnetic fields, and nuclear magnetic resonance.
