Thomas Freese

Thomas Freese

Alumnus
University of Groningen

Thomas Freese

Department

Stratingh Institute for Chemistry

Contact information

Room
Linnaeusborg 5172.09.935

Email address
t.freese@rug.nl

Key expertises

Heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis, coatings, X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy

About me

From 2011-2014 I worked at the Remmers Group in Löningen, Germany and became a chemical laboratory technician, where I focused on different types of (waterborne) coatings for wood/floor/furniture and treatments for restoration and construction of buildings. After that I obtained my BSc and MSc degree in Chemistry at the Georg-August-University in Göttingen. I joined the Feringa group in 2019, where my PhD is focusing on sustainable catalysis and materials.

About my research

My research project focuses on the production of H2O2 and H2 through photocatalytic splitting of water. In view of climate change and the energy transition towards wind and solar energy, hydrogen will play a key role. My research focuses on the photocatalytic production of hydrogen from water in a one-pot approach. Avoiding explosive gas mixtures of oxygen and hydrogen (created from the splitting of water), I try to convert O2 directly to H2O2 in addition to the production of H2. For this I am utilizing several homogeneous/heterogeneous catalyst systems to achieve on the one hand a higher efficiency for H2 production as electrolysis and on the other hand a more sustainable production for H2O2 as the anthraquinone process.