Meet the Nikolla Lab Members!
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.
Strategies for Designing the Catalytic Environment Beyond the Active site
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
- Deconvoluting XPS Spectra of La-Containing Perovskites from First-Principles
Ariel Whitten, Dezhou Guo, Elif Tezel, Reinhard Denecke*, Eranda Nikolla*, and Jean-Sabin McEwen* - Electrocatalysis in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers.
Inyoung Jang, Juliana S. A. Carneiro*, Joshua O. Crawford, Yoon Jin Cho, Sahanaz Parvin, Diego A. Gonzalez-Casamachin, Jonas Baltrusaitis, Ryan P. Lively, and Eranda Nikolla* - Effects of catalyst morphology on oxygen defects at Ni–CeO2 interfaces for CO2 methanation.
Samiha Bhat, Miguel Sepúlveda-Pagán, Justin Borrero-Negrón, Jesús E. Meléndez-Gil, Eranda Nikolla*, and Yomaira J. Pagán-Torres* - Realizing synergy between Cu, Ga, and Zr for selective CO2 hydrogenation to methanol.
Abdullah J. Al Abdulghani, Edgar E. Turizo-Pinilla, Maria J. Fabregas-Angulo, RyanH. Hagmann, Faysal Ibrahim, Jacob H. Jansen, Theodore O. Agbi, Samiha Bhat, Miguel Sepúlveda-Pagán, Morgan O. Kraimer, Collin M. Queen, Zhuoran Sun, Eranda Nikolla, Yomaira J. Pagán-Torres*, Ive Hermans* - 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.
News @NikollaLab
August 2024
- We welcome the new students as Fall 2024 begins at University of Michigan! Students interested in plastics up-cycling, green chemistry, thermo-, electro-, and photocatalysis please contact Prof. Eranda Nikolla and feel free to come visit us. Our lab is located at NCRC Building 28, Room 2109C.
July 2024
- We welcome back Izzy (Isabela) as a masters student to University of Michigan and the Nikolla Lab.
- Reinhard Denecke, Jean-Sabin McEwen, and Eranda Nikolla make a significant contribution in JACS Au on deconvoluting XPS spectra using First Principles.
June 2024
- Jina and Nikolla lab alumni, now assistant professor at Columbia University, Dr. Carneiro, collaborate with Georgia Tech and Lehigh University, towards a scientific contribution in Chemical Reviews!
- The Nikolla Lab just got a whole lot bigger! We welcome Dr. Rachel Yang from Sarazen Research Group at Princeton to the Nikolla Lab as a post doctorate.
- We also welcome two undergraduate exchange students Jaatani and Klaertje who will work with the Nikolla Lab through summer.
- Jaatani joins us through the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)!
May 2024
- Samiha publishes a research article in Catalysis Science and Technology in collaboration with Pagán-Torres research group from University of Puerto Rico. Congratulations!
- Hermans Research Group at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pagán-Torres Research Group from University of Puerto Rico, and the Nikolla Lab collaborate together to publish a research article in Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy. Congratulations!
- Jina, Nick, and Onyema successfully pass their Doctoral Candidacy Exam (DCE). Congratulations!
March 2024
- Kunal and a Nikolla Lab alumni, Dr. Samira 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!
Maintained by Samiha Bhat
North Campus Research Complex, Building 28, 2109C