14 PhD Positions in Nanotechnology, Physics, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in the Marie-Sklodowska Curie ITN CATCHY

Catchy, whose goal is to design, implement and produce novel, high-performance, multimetallic cluster-based catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation and electro-reduction into valuable fuels, is a new H2020-MSCA-ITN-Marie Curie European training network for Early Stage Researchers (ESR) in nanotechnology that will start in November 2020. It brings together 12 world leading partners in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK and will offer a total of 14 Early Stage Research (ESR) PhD positions for 36 months.

‍Its innovative concept is to consider metal cluster science as an emerging field bridging thermo- and electrocatalysis technologies to convert CO2 into valuable fuels as a credible route to address global warming and secure our future until we stop releasing so much CO2 into the atmosphere.

‍Catchy is a multidisciplinary collaboration between state-of-the-art laboratories and industries that will merge physics, chemistry, computational quantum chemistry, and chemical engineering and utilize a unique combination of advanced cluster deposition sources as well as in situ characterization techniques. Catchy’s interactive approach will combine: i. the production of bi- and multimetallic gas-phase clusters (few atoms to 5 nm) of controlled homogeneity, ii. the extensive characterization of their morphology, structure (ex and in situ), iii. investigation of free clusters in the gas-phase combined with theoretical modelling and screening, and iv. thermo- and electrocatalytic CO2 conversion laboratory tests. Prototypes of the most promising CO2 hydrogenation and electroreduction catalysts will be tested in realistic operating conditions through intense collaboration with our industrial partners.

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