Meet the Nikolla Lab Members! (Year 2023)
Performance of Nonstoichiometric Mixed Metal Oxides for Electrochemical Reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide (inset schematic): Literature mining that targets Experimental and Theoretical techniques.
Insights on Dynamic Surface Reconstruction of Nonstoichiometric Mixed Metal Oxides and their Impacts.
Surface-Bound Ligands on Pd Nanoparticles alter catalytic performance for Direct Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide.
Pd@Titania Encapsulated Nanostructures for Selective Catalysis.
Mixed Metal Oxides in OER under Acidic Conditions.
Other Activities and Fun Times!
Engineering Catalysts for Sustainable Energy and Chemical Conversion
The Nikolla Research Group focuses on studying issues related to Thermocatalysis and Electrocatalysis for energy and chemical conversion and storage (e.g., fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, cooperative/selective heterogeneous catalysis for biomass conversion, chemical recycling of plastic waste, etc.). We address these issues by combining state-of-the-art synthesis techniques, characterization (i.e., electron microscopy and spectroscopy) and quantum density functional theory (DFT) chemical calculations.
Key Research Areas
Most Recent Publications
- Trace Fe activates perovskite nickelate OER catalysts in alkaline media via redox-active surface Ni species formed during electrocatalysis. Liam Twight, Ally Tonsberg, Samji Samira, Kunal Velinkar, Kora Dumpert,
Yingqing Ou, Le Wang, Eranda Nikolla, Shannon W. Boettcher - Influence of the Mechanism of Discharge Product Formation on the Electrochemical Performanc e and Cyclability of Aprotic Na–O2 Batteries. Kunal Velinkar, Alex Von Gunten, Jeffrey Greeley, and Eranda Nikolla
- Elucidation of Parasitic Reaction Mechanisms at Interfaces in Na–O2 Batteries. Alex Von Gunten, Kunal Velinkar, Eranda Nikolla, and Jeffrey Greeley
- Strategies for Designing the Catalytic Environment Beyond the Active site of Heterogeneous Supported Metal Catalysts. Samiha Bhat, Yomaira J. Pagán-Torres* & Eranda Nikolla*, Top. Catal., 2023.
- Deciphering the Mechanistic Role of Individual Oxide Phases and Their Combinations in Supported Mn–Na2WO4 Catalysts for Oxidative Coupling of Methane. Yixiao Wang, Sagar Sourav, Jason P. Malizia, Brooklyne Thompson, Bingwen Wang, M. Ross Kunz, Eranda Nikolla and Rebecca Fushimi
- Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 using Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells: Insights into Catalysis by Nonstoichiometric Mixed Metal Oxides.
Elif Tezel, Ariel Whitten, Genevieve Yarema, Reinhard Denecke*, Jean-Sabin McEwen*, Eranda Nikolla*, ACS Catal., 2022. - Mechanistic pathways and role of oxygen in oxidative coupling of methane derived from transient kinetic studies. Y. Wang, B. Wang, S. Sourav, R. Batchu, Zongtang Fang, M. R. Kunz, G. Yablonsky, E. Nikolla, R. Fushimi*, Catal. Today, 2022.
- Supported Bifunctional Molybdenum Oxide-Palladium Catalysts for Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of Biomass-Derived Polyols and 1,4-Anhydroerythritol. S. Albarracin-Suazo, L. Paz Herrera, L. Freitas de Lima e Freitas, B. MacQueen, A. Heyden, J. A. Lauterbach, E. Nikolla*, and Y. J. Pagán-Torres*, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2022.
- Elucidating the Role of B-Site Cations toward CO2 Reduction in Perovskite-Based Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells. E. Tezel‡, D. Guo‡, A. Whitten, G. Yarema, M. Alves Freire, R. Denecke*, J.S. McEwen*, and E. Nikolla*, J. Electrochem. Soc., 2022.
- Reactivity of Pd-MO2 inverted catalytic systems for CO oxidation. L. Paz Herrera‡, L. Freitas de Lima e Freitas‡, J. Hong, A. S. Hoffman, S. R. Bare, E. Nikolla*, and J. W. Medlin*, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2022.
- Dynamic Surface Reconstruction Unifies the Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Performance of Nonstoichiometric Mixed Metal Oxides. S. Samira‡, J. Hong‡, J.C.A. Camayang, K. Sun, A.S. Hoffman, S.R. Bare, and Nikolla, E.*, JACS Au, 2021.
News @NikollaLab
March 2024
- Kunal and a Nikolla Lab alumni, Samji collaborate with Prof. Shannon Boettcher from University of Oregon and publish a paper in Journal of Catalysis as a part of the 60th Commemorative Anniversary Issue of Journal of Catalysis. Congratulations!
February 2024
- Julia Lamy joins the Nikolla Lab as a second year undergraduate trainee. Welcome!
November 2023
- Kunal wins the 2023 CRE student travel award at the annual AIChE 2023 meeting. Congratulations!
October 2023
- We are thrilled to welcome our new first-year students to the Nikolla Lab – Onyema Obi, Jina Cho, and Nicholas Carpentieri!
- Kunal publishes his paper as first author in ACS Energy Letters in collaboration with Alex and Prof. Jeff Greeley from Purdue University. Congratulations Kunal!
September 2023
- Eranda wins the inaugural Maria Flytzani-Stephanopoulos Award for Creativity in Catalysis! Congratulations!
August 2023
- We welcome the new students as Fall 2023 begins at University of Michigan! Interested students please contact Prof. Eranda Nikolla and feel free to come visit us. Our lab is located at NCRC Building 28, Room 2109C.
- Kunal and Samiha successfully pass their Thesis proposal Exam. Congratulations!
- In collaboration with the Greeley group at Purdue University, Alex and Kunal’s research article has been published in Chemistry of Materials. Congratulations!
June 2023
- Samiha’s review article in collaboration with Yomaira has been published in Topics in Catalysis. Congratulations on her first publication!
- We welcome Izzy as an Undergraduate research Assistant through the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)!
May 2023
- Don successfully passed his Doctoral Candidacy (DCE) Exam. Congratulations Don!
- Kunal presented his work for the first time at the 44th Annual Michigan Catalysis Society Spring Symposium. Congratulations Kunal! Looking forward to many more.
- Michael presented his poster at the first Annual Center for Programmable Energy Catalysis Spring Meeting! Congratulations!
January 2023
- The Nikolla Lab wishes everyone a Happy New Year!
- Dr. Michael Allen joins the Nikolla Lab as a postdoctoral researcher. Welcome!
Maintained by Samiha Bhat
North Campus Research Complex, Building 28, 2109C