Suzan Schoemaker

Research: Decomposition of methane to green hydrogen and carbon nanomaterials

The aim of my PhD-project is to design of bimetallic catalysts for the decomposition of methane into hydrogen while growing carbon nanomaterials. Although methane is currently a very low-cost and abundant feedstock, using it directly as a fuel is often unwanted due to the associated CO₂ emissions. Decomposition into renewable hydrogen (which can be used as a clean fuel itself) and valuable carbon materials could be an interesting alternative. We will try to understand the influence of the composition, particle size, surface properties, morphology and initial spatial distribution of the catalyst on the growth of the carbon nanostructures to tune structure of the end-product, for instance towards sheets, tubes, fibres, their density and mechanical properties.

C.V.

1996 Born in Zwolle, The Netherlands

2014 – 2017 Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Utrecht University

2017-2019 Master’s degree in Analytical Sciences (Chemistry) at the University of Amsterdam/Free University Amsterdam (joint degree)

Thesis: Retention modelling of peptides for HILIC separations

2019 PhD research in the Materials Chemistry and Catalysis under supervision of Prof. Petra de Jongh and Krijn de Jong

Title: Decomposition of methane to green hydrogen and carbon nanomaterials