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Alexis T. Bell
Senior Faculty Scientist
Professor of Chemical Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
Department of Chemical Engineering
201 Gilman Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-1462
USA
Catalytic Science Program
Biography
Professor; Faculty Senior Scientist, LBNL; B.S., Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (1964) Sc.D., Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (1967). Curtis W. McGraw Award for Research,
American Association of Engineering Education; the Professional
Progress and R. H. Wilhelm Awards, the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers; Paul H. Emmett Award in Fundamental
Catalysis, Catalysis Society; National Academy of Engineering
(1987) Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement
of Science (1988).
Research Interests
Professor Bell studies reaction mechanisms in order to identify
factors limiting the activity and selectivity of catalysts.
Reaction systems being investigated by his group include the
synthesis of oxygenated compounds from COx (x = 1, 2), the
conversion of alkanes to olefins and oxygenated products under
oxidizing conditions, and the reduction of nitric oxide under
oxidizing conditions. The objectives of his program are pursued
through a combination of experimental and theoretical methods.
Spectroscopic techniques, including IR, Raman, NMR, UV-Visible,
and EXAFS, are used to characterize catalyst structure and
adsorbed species under actual conditions of catalysis. Isotopic
tracers and temperature-programmed desorption and reaction
techniques are used to elucidate the pathways via which catalyzed
reactions occur. Quantum chemical calculations are conducted
to define the structure and energetics of adsorbed species
and the pathways by which such species are transformed. The
combined use of theory and experimental methods enables the
attainment of a deeper understanding of the core issues of
interest than can be achieved by the use of either approach
alone.
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