Laboratory for Vibrational Spectroscopy and Chemical Imaging

Scientific results:

The development, adaptation and application of oscillation spectroscopy methods and chemical imaging based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in various modes (transmission, frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) in the micro- or macro-variant, matrix detection) allowed to achieve a number of completely original scientific results. In particular, we have determined the mechanism of propylene epoxidation, researched the impact of the carrier and the dimensional effect in the reaction of ethylene epoxidation in the presence of Ag-containing catalysts, studied the impact of oxide particles modeling rock formations on the processes of sedimentation of asphaltenes of heavy oils when supercritical CO₂ is injected in flow conditions. We have proposed completely original approaches to the use of IR-Fourier spectroscopy for the research of catalysts based on fiber-glass materials, the quantitative express assessment of the conversion and output of the main products of the reaction of hydrogen-free hydrogenation of unsaturated aromatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons, the high-performance analysis of ionic liquids in the imaging mode with the use of FTIR IR-Fourier spectroscopy and others.

In particular, using in situ IR Fourier spectroscopy we have studied the mechanism of ethanol oxidation in the presence of high-dispersity vanadium-cerium oxide catalysts in various modes of the process, including the presence of oxygen in the gaseous phase; using Raman scattering, we have researched the state of the Cr-Al active component of catalysts of C3-C4 olefin dehydrogenation; using in situ IR-Fourier spectroscopy, we have studied the peculiarities of the interaction of catalytic poisons with the surface of Ni-containing catalysts for the development of a method for high-precision determination of the number of catalytically active centers; IR spectroscopy has been used for the quantitative express-analysis of the heterogeneously catalyzed reaction of hydrogen-free hydrogenation of sulphate turpentine with isopropanol in a flow reactor in the online mode; using IR-Fourier spectroscopy, we have researched the process of selective absorption of light hydrocarbons (ethane, ethylene, acetylene and others) in ionic liquids and their transport in the conditions of the interphase boundary; we have conducted a chemical imaging of of the processes of the interaction of supercritical СО₂ whit various ionic liquids with temporal result ion; using methods of oscillation spectroscopy with modulation of the polarization of IR radiation we have conducted a research of the processes of absorption of methanol, ethanol, as well ass acetonitrile on the surface of platinum catalysts; a methodology has been developed for the joint use of photoluminescence spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy for the study of industrially significant polymerization catalysts.

Education and career development:

• We have developed the master’s degree program «Methods of oscillation and X-ray spectroscopy for problems of chemical technology and catalysis» for the direction of training 04.04.01 Chemistry.
• One Doctor of Sciences and 3 Candidate of Sciences dissertations have been prepared and defended.
• Two employees of the Laboratory have completed internships at Imperial College London (United Kingdom).
• In 2021, we conducted the scientific seminars «Advanced methods of chemical imaging and oscillation spectroscopy for the current problems of catalysis and chemical technology».

Collaborations:

Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Center for the collective use of scientific equipment «Siberian Ring Source of Photons» (SKIF), Novosibirsk State University, Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Vyatka State University, «Omsktekhuglerod» LLC, «Tomskneftekhim» LLC (Russia): joint research.