Kelly Brouwer

PhD candidate
Utrecht University

Department

Soft Condensed Matter, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science

Contact information

Room
Leonard S. Ornstein laboratorium

Email address
j.h.brouwer@uu.nl

Key expertises

Nanoparticle synthesis, Electron microscopy, Material science, Heterogeneous catalysis

About me

I received my BSc in Chemistry and MSc in Nanomaterials Science at Utrecht University. In my education I focused on material science, including colloidal synthesis and material characterization. My curiosity for science and enthusiasm for lab work led me to begin a PhD in October 2019. I started my PhD research in the Soft Condensed Matter research group at Utrecht University under the supervision of prof. dr. Alfons van Blaaderen, studying the fundamentals of catalysis by designing catalyst particles with nanometer-precision.

About my research

This research combines the synthesis of nanomaterials and electron microscopy characterization. The goal of this project is to prepare and study nanomaterials for heterogeneous catalysis with ultimate control on particle size, location and distribution. For this, we work synthesize monodisperse nanoparticles of materials relevant as support material (silica and graphene) and catalytically active nanoparticles like bimetallic Ni-Pd. By structuring nanoparticles into so-called supraparticles using self-assembly, we achieve control on multiple length scales. Using this approach, we prepare well-defined mesoporous nanomaterials for heterogeneous catalysis.

Academic career

PhD researcher:

2019-present: PhD researcher in the group Soft Condensed Matter at Utrecht University under supervision of prof. dr. A. van Blaaderen and dr. Marijn van Huis

Master:

2017-2019: Master degree in Nanomaterials Science at Utrecht University

Master thesis research in the group Condensed Matter and Interfaces at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, under the supervision of dr. Celso de Mello-Donega
Summer school on X-Ray and Neutron Science organized by ESRF and ILL, Grenoble, France
Research internship at Expert Capability Group - Molecules & Materials Technology at Nouryon Deventer, the Netherlands

Bachelor:

2014-2017: Bachelor degree in Chemistry at Utrecht University

Internship as high school teacher chemistry at Cals College Nieuwegein
Bachelor thesis research in the group Physical Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology under supervision of prof. dr. ir. Remco Tuinier

Awards and scientific honors

VNCI Topsector Chemistry scholarship 2017-2019