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Brendan Hall

Location
Level 1, Energy Building
Primary Supervisor
Dr Tom Chamberlain, Chemistry
Qualifications
MChem Medicinal Chemistry, Leeds

Biography

During Brendan’s studies he gained a solid foundation of chemical knowledge with a specific focus on drug development and organic synthesis.
In the final year of Brendan’s degree, he completed a master’s project with the Institute of Process Research and Development, working with continuous flow reactors to optimise a process which could be used to manufacture biofuels. Using a design of experiment methodology, automated reactor controls and an online GC, Brendan could investigate hundreds of reaction conditions with a range of catalyst systems in the space of a few weeks.

PhD: Developing self-optimising flow reactor platforms for heterogeneous catalyst evolution

This project will study gas/liquid reactions over solid catalysts using an algorithm controlled continuous flow reactor platform. Flow chemistry is recognised as a technique which aligns with many of the pillars of “green chemistry” – reducing many hazards inherent within the chemical industry.
The project will develop a versatile platform to study both the formation of carbon nanoreactor stabilised metal nanoparticle based heterogeneous catalysts (shown to be highly active and selective) and the reactivity of these catalysts for targeted chemical transformations, initially focussing on the reduction of pharmaceutically relevant compounds.
The combination of catalyst synthesis and reactivity screening will enable detailed structure activity relationships of the novel catalysts to be developed in an automated fashion. This will enable the rapid development of targeted catalysts with individually tailored reaction conditions.

Outreach, training and other activities:

  • Participated in 2018 Summer School in Nottingham, hosted by CDT in Advanced Therapeutics

Masters research project in year 1 of CDT:

  • ‘Rapid fabrication and screening of carbon nanorector supported nickel nanoparticle heterogeneous catalysts for transfer hydrogenation reactions in continuous flow’ with Dr Tom Chamberlain, Chemistry