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FUNCTIONALIZED NANOSILICA AS TOOL FOR SOBER CATALYSIS TOWARDS BIOMASS VALORIZATION

CHEMISTRY & GREEN CHEMISTRY

 

LCC
Lab: LCC

Duration: Mid-january to mid-june 2026 (Incoming mobility-only, not a NanoX-Master internship)

Latest starting date: 15/01/2026

Localisation: LCC-IUT
5 Allée du Martinet
81100 CASTRES - FRANCE

Supervisors:
Dominique Agustin dominique.agustin@utoulouse.fr

This research master's degree project could be followed by a PhD

Work package:
The G group of LCC (part at Castres) develops greener catalytic methods focused on solvent-sober processes [1] and/or supported catalysts. Recently, polyoxometalates (POMs) ionically grafted on Merrifield resins [2,3] or functionalized nanosilica beads [4-8] exhibited catalytic properties towards (ep)oxidation. The beads have been also used to replace one reagent [5]. The aim of this project is to extend the nature of functionalization on Stöber-silica nanobeads not only to graft catalysts (POMs or tin clusters) for oxidative transformation of natural substrates but also to use those beads to replace reagents and/or to mimic solvents. The objects will be fully characterized by several techniques present in Castres or Toulouse. All the synthetic and catalytic work will be done in Castres.

Illustration of nanobeads with polyanions at the surface.

References:
References: [1] B. Guérin, D. Mesquita Fernandes, J.-C. Daran, D. Agustin, R. Poli, New. J. Chem. 2013, 3466-3475. [2] J. Pisk, D. Agustin, R. Poli, Molecules. 24(4), 2019, 783. [3] A. Alhadi Haidar, P. Guillo, D. Agustin, Applied Sciences 15 (14), 2025, 7981 [4] Y. Wang, F. Gayet, P. Guillo, D. Agustin, Materials, 12(20), 2019, 3278. [5] Y. Wang, F. Gayet, J.-C. Daran, P. Guillo, D. Agustin, Molecules, 26(18), 2021, 5435. [6] I. Pulido Diaz, I. Guerrero-Diaz, D. Agustin, Catalysis Science & Technology, 2025, accepted [7] A. Alhadi Haidar, P. Guillo, D. Agustin, Applied Catalysis O: Open. 2025, accepted [8] A. Christophorou, A. Alhadi Haidar, D. Agustin, to be submitted

Areas of expertise:
Stöber process, inorganic synthesis, (ep)oxidation catalysis, coordination chemistry, infrared, DLS, TEM, NMR

Required skills for the internship:
knowledge of characterization techniques, basics in catalysis