Sven Weerdenburg

PhD candidate
Delft University of Technology

Department

Chemical Engineering / Catalysis Engineering

Contact information

Room
Applied Sciences (B58) - E2.240

Email address
s.weerdenburg-1@tudelft.nl

Key expertises

CO2 hydrogenation, plasmonics, photocatalysis, heterogeneous catalysis, spectroscopy

About me

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Science & Technology at Delft University of Technology and Leiden University, and then continued with the master Chemical Engineering in Delft. As of September 2022, I am a PhD candidate in the group of Monique van der Veen in the Catalysis Engineering section. Outside of work I like to go swimming, running and travelling.

About my research

My research is focused on plasmonic catalysts for light-driven CO₂ hydrogenation. The aim is to find the optimal combination of catalytic material for efficient CO₂ conversion. With ultrafast spectroscopy in the visible and infrared spectral region we will monitor charge carrier dynamics and the formation of products and reaction intermediates. We aim to use this technique to distinguish the hot electron effects from the photothermal effects and to unravel the reaction mechanisms. This valuable information could help us to develop better photocatalysts which would bring us a step closer to sustainable CO₂ hydrogenation.

Academic career

PhD candidate
2022-present: PhD candidate at the Catalysis Engineering section at Delft University of Technology, under supervision of Dr. M.A. van der Veen

Master’s student
2020-2022: MSc in Chemical Engineering (cum laude) at Delft University of Technology.
Thesis (2022): “A Theoretical Study on Charge Carrier Multiplication in 2H-MoTe₂” under supervision of Prof. dr. L.D.A. Siebbeles

Bachelor’s student
2015-2019: BSc in Molecular Science and Technology at Delft University of Technology and Leiden University
Thesis (2019): “Synthesis of a Photocleavable Block Copolymer” under supervision of Dr. R. Eelkema