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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M73095/01
Title: HETEROGENEOUS PHOTOCATALYSIS FOR CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING
Principal Investigator: Dunkin, Dr IR
Other Investigators:
Skelton, Mr B Sherrington, Professor DC
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Pure and Applied Chemistry
Organisation: University of Strathclyde
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 February 2000 Ends: 31 October 2003 Value (£): 82,969
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Catalysis & Applied Catalysis
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Chemicals Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
GR/M73101/01
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Both students will work closely together at all stages. The chemistry student will initially prepare immobilised dyes by published procedures, and these will be used in laboratory reactions at Strathclyde and hydrodynamic studies at Cambridge. Meanwhile, the engineering student will adapt the design of the OFM photochemical reactor, for use with non-aqueous solvents and other hazardous materials. Thereafter, the chemistry student will prepare novel, transparent, macroporous polymer beads incorporating a variety of photosensitisers, including dyes, electron acceptors and metal complexes, and will use these in laboratory photo-catalytic reactions. The work at Cambridge will be a continuation of work already in progress, aimed in particular at improving the understanding of the complex mechanisms in a three-phase OFM photo-reactor. In order to produce a commercial scale reactor much more information is needed on the efficiency of energy utilisation, for which the relevant parameter is the Local Volumetric Rate of Energy Absorption (LVREA). The OFM photo-reactor will be equipped with optical sensors, to investigate the distribution of particles within the reactor under varying flow conditions, and a combination of experimental work and mathematical modelling should enable the engineering student to produce a valid model for a three-phase heterogeneous photo-reactor, and optimise the design.
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Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.strath.ac.uk