Methane is a strong greenhouse gas with a global warming potential (GWP) of 104 and contributes roughly 10% of all U.S. greenhouse emissions. Due to the high strength C-H bond in methane, a large activation barrier must be overcome to oxidize methane. As a result, extensive research has been done on methane oxidation catalysts. Currently, palladium-based catalysts are one of the most promising choices for complete oxidation of methane. Kevin’s research consists of exploring Palladium loaded SSZ-13 zeolites from a computational perspective (DFT) for the application of trapping and oxidizing methane in vehicle emissions.
Kevin is currently a Master’s student here at UB and he plans on graduating in spring 2021. He graduated with a BS in chemical engineering from UB in spring 2019 and decided to stay to pursue a Master’s degree. During his time as an undergraduate he participated as a research assistant in Dr. Tsianou’s lab working on synthesis and dissolution experiments of hydroxyapatite. After hearing guest lectures and taking a class on computational research, he began to see the advantages of computational research and the benefits it offers when paired with experimental methods. Thus, his primary interest has shifted to pursuing and learning computational methods of research such as density functional theory and machine learning.
