Research — LAC

01

From Atomic-Scale Catalyst Design to Integrated Adsorption and Catalysis Processes

Designing active sites atom by atom, and carrying that design through to the process that puts them to work

01 — 1

Near-Atomic Scale Design

We aim to precisely design the structure of adsorbents and heterogeneous catalysts with atomic precision. Particularly, we are interested in distinct surface properties observed from low-nuclearity atoms.

Techniques

Liquid-phase atomic layer deposition (ALD) Ex-solution of perovskite

Applications

CO₂ capture
CO₂ conversion to methane, methanol, ethanol, and fuels
Valorization of biomass-derived chemicals

Selected publications

Nature Catalysis, 7 (2024) First

Atom-by-atom design of Cu/ZrO_x clusters on MgO for CO₂ hydrogenation using liquid-phase atomic layer deposition

ACS Catalysis, 15 (2025) First Corresponding

Controlling Acid Sites in Atomically Precise Cu/Al₂O₃ Clusters for Selective Methanol Production from CO₂ Hydrogenation

Atomically designed cluster catalyst converting CO₂ and H₂ into methanol

STEM image of Cu/ZrOx atomic clusters on MgO support — STEM images of Cu/ZrO_x atomic clusters on MgO support. The liquid-phase ALD technique allowed for the atomic design of heterogeneous catalysts with distinct surface properties, rarely observed in bulk catalysts. The bright dots correspond to atoms of either Cu or Zr

Lower-magnification STEM image of the MgO support platelets — STEM images of Cu/ZrO_x atomic clusters on MgO support. The liquid-phase ALD technique allowed for the atomic design of heterogeneous catalysts with distinct surface properties, rarely observed in bulk catalysts. The bright dots correspond to atoms of either Cu or Zr

STEM image of the Ni/MgO-Al2O3 catalyst — STEM image and EDS elemental map of the Ni/MgO–Al₂O₃ catalyst. Green corresponds to Ni nanoparticles, red to Al₂O₃ and cyan to MgO. The Al₂O₃ encapsulates the MgO, completely changing the catalytic activity.

EDS elemental map of the Ni/MgO-Al2O3 catalyst — STEM image and EDS elemental map of the Ni/MgO–Al₂O₃ catalyst. Green corresponds to Ni nanoparticles, red to Al₂O₃ and cyan to MgO. The Al₂O₃ encapsulates the MgO, completely changing the catalytic activity.

01 — 2

Integrated Adsorption and Catalysis Process

We develop the process integrating adsorption and catalysis, aiming at increasing the productivity and efficiency of processes.

To effectively utilize advanced materials in practical applications, additional factors that may not have been addressed in nano-scale studies must be considered. As part of our efforts to apply materials designed at the nano-scale, we develop advanced methods and processes to integrate them into real-world applications.

Applications

Sorption-enhanced catalytic reaction via Le Chatelier's principle.
Direct air capture and its conversion.

Selected publications

Cell Reports Physical Science, 3 (2022) First

Ensemble process for producing high-purity H₂ via simultaneous in situ H₂ extraction and CO₂ capture

Chemical Engineering Journal, 371 (2019) First

Direct formation of hierarchically porous MgO-based sorbent bead

Nature Communications, 14 (2023)

Mg-incorporated sorbent for efficient removal of trace CO from H₂ gas

Integrated CO₂ adsorbent, WGS catalyst and Pd/Ta membrane for high-purity H₂ production

SEM image of a sorbent bead before FIB cutting — SEM images of a hierarchically structured CO₂ adsorbent and WGS catalyst bead, before FIB cutting (left) and its cross-section (right). The hierarchical structure of CO₂ adsorbent and WGS catalysts was suitable to integrate the CO₂ capture, WGS reaction, and H₂-membrane, achieving simultaneous CO₂ capture and enhanced H₂ production via Le Chatelier's principle.

SEM image of hierarchically structured CO₂ adsorbent and WGS catalyst — SEM images of a hierarchically structured CO₂ adsorbent and WGS catalyst bead, before FIB cutting (left) and its cross-section (right). The hierarchical structure of CO₂ adsorbent and WGS catalysts was suitable to integrate the CO₂ capture, WGS reaction, and H₂-membrane, achieving simultaneous CO₂ capture and enhanced H₂ production via Le Chatelier's principle.

02

Understanding Surface Phenomena

Identification of structural features and understanding surface or sub-surface phenomena in adsorbents and heterogeneous catalysts

A mechanistic study of adsorption and catalysis is fundamental for the development of advanced materials. To achieve this, we use in situ and operando analyses, which reveal material structures and surface properties under reaction conditions. This identification allows us to understand the structure-activity relationship, providing insights that guide the development of more advanced materials.

Selected publications

Nature, 641 (2025)

Encapsulated Co–Ni alloy boosts high-temperature CO₂ electroreduction

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 147 (2025)

Flame-Made Surface-Substituted Copper–Ceria as an Excellent Reverse Water–Gas Shift Reaction Catalyst

Journal of CO₂ Utilization, 41 (2020) First

Unusual morphology transformation and basicity of magnesium oxide controlled by ageing conditions and its carbon dioxide adsorption

Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurement at ESRF — Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy — To understand the surface phenomena during the reaction, we use in situ / operando techniques to identify the structural changes. The picture above is an example of operando XAS measurement at 800 °C, which was conducted at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and allowed us to understand the structure of catalyst at 800 °C!

Single Ni atoms transformed into Ni nanoparticles after high-temperature reduction — An example of structural change in catalysts caused by the high-temperature treatment — Single Ni atoms in the as-prepared catalyst transformed into Ni nanoparticles in the reduced catalyst by high-temperature reduction before reaction. Therefore, characterizations under conditions similar to either reduction or reaction are crucial for conducting precise mechanistic studies.

03

CO₂ Capture & Conversion

We capture CO₂ from flue gas and directly from air, and convert it into fuels and value-added chemicals. Our interest spans the full chain — sorbent design, the capture step itself, and the catalytic conversion that follows — with a focus on integrating capture and conversion into a single isothermal operation.

Direct air capture (DAC) takes CO₂ straight from ambient air, where it sits at only about 420 ppm — the most dilute source, but the one available anywhere. A dual-function material (DFM) puts the sorbent and the catalyst in a single solid, so the captured CO₂ can be hydrogenated where it stands simply by switching the feed gas, removing the energy penalty of desorbing, compressing, and transporting it.

Both are active research topics in our group: we are developing technology that captures CO₂ from ambient air and converts it on the spot. This is a genuinely hard problem. Capturing CO₂ at a concentration as low as 400 ppm already demands a sorbent that binds it strongly, yet converting that same CO₂ within a single material requires releasing it just as readily to the active site — two requirements that pull in opposite directions and must be balanced within one solid.

Selected publications

Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, 388 (2026) Corresponding

Direct air capture and isothermal conversion of CO₂ to CO over La-based perovskite mixed metal oxides

Journal of CO₂ Utilization, 109 (2026) Corresponding

Non-aqueous integrated CO₂ capture and conversion system using an ether-containing diamine (EtherDA) for efficient propylene carbonate synthesis

04

Biomass-Derived Fuels & Chemicals

We upgrade platform chemicals obtained from biomass — such as furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and lignin-derived aromatics — into transportation fuels and high-value intermediates. Tailored heterogeneous catalysts steer these reactions towards the desired product, offering a renewable route to chemicals that are currently made from fossil resources.

Demand here is driven by regulation as much as by chemistry. International frameworks — ICAO's CORSIA and the EU's ReFuelEU Aviation among them — oblige airlines to blend a rising share of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and comparable pressure is now reaching the chemical industry. We are developing catalytic routes to SAF-range hydrocarbons and to carbon-neutral bio-naphtha, a drop-in feedstock that lets existing crackers make plastics without fossil carbon.

05

Bio-Chemical Process Integration

We connect biological and chemical conversion into one process chain. Biological steps excel at building specific intermediates under mild conditions, while heterogeneous catalysis efficiently upgrades them further. By designing the two to work together — matching reaction conditions, streams, and separation steps — we aim at conversion routes that neither approach could reach on its own.