Dr. Christopher Keturakis
 

Chris Keturakis

B.S.in Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, 2009
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, 2014

 

Contact Information

cjk209 [at] lehigh.edu

 

Research Interests

     My current research involves characterization of solid acid catalysts for biomass conversion to biofuels and analysis of the reaction mechanism using operando spectroscopy. Our labs in situ and operando equipment/approach provides simultaneous spectroscopic characterization coupled with mass spectrometry. Synthesis-structure-activity correlations generated from this data will provide the deepest insights into biomass conversion under real reaction conditions.

     Since joining the Wachs group as an undergraduate in 2007, I have been involved in several research projects including high temperature water-gas shift (WGS) catalysis using the classic Cr2O3*Fe2O3 catalyst, high temperature reversible CO2 capture by solid sorbents, analysis of ancient Roman coin corrosion with advanced spectroscopy, formic acid adsorption on Fischer-Tropsch catalysts (collaboration with Stevens Institue of Technology), propane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) to propylene catalysis (collaboration with Technical Univeristy of Berlin), characterization of electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution (collaboration with Carnegie Mellon), and simultaneous EXAFS & spectroscopy technique development at Brookhaven National Laboratory for the Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium community. Outside of catalysis, I enjoy learning about everything from music theory to theoretical physics.

 

Dissertation Work Summary

Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis. This work focuses on the molecular events taking place on the surface of solid acid catalysts (HZSM-5 and Al2O3/SiO2) during biomass pyrolysis since recent biomass pyrolysis studies have only investigated pyrolysis product yield and bio-oil composition under various reaction conditions. No fundamental information has been reported about the molecular events taking place during the catalytic biomass pyrolysis reaction over solid acid mixed oxide catalysts: catalytic active sites, their activation and deactivation as well as promotion, surface reaction intermediates and surface reaction pathways. In order to elucidate the molecular events taking place on the catalyst surface, cutting edge in situ and operando spectroscopic characterization studies during the catalytic biomass pyrolysis reaction are undertaken with representative model biomass compounds of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and their monomers (pentoses/hexoses) before the investigation of pyrolysis of natural biomass. These fundamental studies during pyrolysis with well-defined mixed oxide catalysts and model biomass compounds will unravel the fundamental structure-activity relationships for catalytic biomass pyrolysis.

 

Professional Activities

  • Student Representative to The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York (NYCS, 2013-2014)
  • Lehigh AIChE Helping Hands student mentor (2013-2014)
  • Engineering College Representative to Budget Committee, Graduate Student Senate (GSS, 2014)
  • Webmaster, Lehigh University Chemical Engineering Graduate Association  (ChEGA, 2011)
  • Member, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York (2009-present)
  • Member, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia (2009-2013)
  • Member, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (2009-present)
  • Member, American Chemical Society (2009-present)

 

Book Chapters

  1. "Monolayer Systems," I. E. Wachs and C. J. Keturakis, in Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry II; Schlogl, R., Ed.; Elsevier Publishing, Chapter 7.06, 2013,131-151.

 

Publications

  1. "Surface ReOx Sites on Al2O3 and their Molecular Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Olefin Metathesis," S. Lwin, C. Keturakis, J. Handzlik, P. Sautet, Y. Li, A. I. Frenkel, I. E. Wachs, ACS Catalysis, 2015, 5, 1432-1444.

  2. [Early View] "Monitoring Solid Oxide CO2 Capture Sorbents in Action," C. J. Keturakis, F. Ni, M. Spicer, M. G. Beaver, H. S. Caram, I. E. Wachs, ChemSusChem, 2014, 7, 3459-3466. [full version http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201402474]

  3. "Anomalous Reactivity of Supported V2O5 Nanoparticles for Propane Oxidative Dehydrogenation: Influence of the Vanadium Oxide Precursor,"C. A. Carrero, C. J. Keturakis, A. Orrego, R. Schomäker, I. E. Wachs, Dalton Transactions, 2013, 42, 12644-12653.

  4. "Spectroscopic characterization of mixed Fe-Ni oxide electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline electrolytes," J. Landon, E. Demeter, N. Inoglu, C. Keturakis, I. E. Wachs, R. Vasic, A. I. Frenkel, J. R. Kitchin, ACS Catalysis, 2012, 2, 1793-1801.

  5. "Analysis of Ancient Silver Coin Corrosion with High Resolution Surface Spectroscopic Techniques," C. Keturakis, B. Notis, A. Blenheim, A. Miller, R. Pafcheck, M. Notis, I. E. Wachs, submitted, Surf. Interface Anal..

  6. “Molecular Structure and Chemical Nature of Surface AlOx Sites on Supported Al2O3/SiO2 Catalysts,” O. B. Lapina, V. V. Terskikh, A. A. Shubin, E. Papulovskiy, I. V. Yudaev, E. A. Paukshtis, C.J. Keturakis and I. E. Wachs, submitted to JACS.

  7. "Fundamental Chemistry of the High Temperature Water-gas Shift Reaction over Cr2O3/Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts - An Operando Molecular Spectroscopy Study," Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, in preparation.

  8. “A Decade of Operando Molecular Spectroscopy in Catalysis,” I. E. Wachs, C. J. Keturakis, S. Lwin, Y. Tang, M. Zhu, A. Chakrabarti, M. Ford, D. Gregory, Z. Yang, and R. Hu, in preparation, to be submitted to Operando V Conference Proceedings.

  9. “Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis,” C. J. Keturakis and I. E. Wachs, in preparation.

  10. “The Confinement Effect during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis,” C. J. Keturakis, L. Sabino, and I. E. Wachs, in preparation.

 

Oral Presentations

  1. UPCOMING - "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis and I.E. Wachs, June 2015, 24th North American Meeting of the Catalysis Society (24th NAM), Pittsburgh, PA

  2. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation," Christopher J. Keturakis, Minghui Zhu, Emma Gibson, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, May 2015, 36th Annual Michigan Catalysis Society Spring Symposium, Wayne State University

  3. "Influence of Precursor on the Formation of V2O5 Nanoparticles and Their Role in the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane over Supported Vanadium Oxide Catalysts," C. Carrero, Christopher J. Keturakis, A. Orrego, R. Schomäker, I. E. Wachs, March 2013, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium, Princeton University

  4. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation," Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, October 2012, 2012 AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA - Lecture given by Dr. Charles Roberts (Toyota) in my absence due to Hurricane Sandy

  5. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation," Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, August 2012, 244th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA

  6. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts:
    A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation,"     Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, April-May 2012, Operando IV: 4th International Congress on Operando Spectroscopy, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  7. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts:
    A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation,"     Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, March 2012, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Meeting, Invited Student Lecture

  8. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts:
    A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation,"     Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Marco Daturi and Israel E. Wachs, June 2011, 22nd North American Catalysis Society Meeting, Detroit, MI

  9. "An In Situ Raman and Operando IR Investigation of Supported Na2O/Al2O3 for Reversible CO2 Capture," Christopher J. Keturakis, Michael G. Beaver, Fan Ni, Hugo S. Caram, and Israel E. Wachs, June 2011, 22nd North American Catalysis Society Meeting, Detroit, MI

  10. "Utilizing Raman and IR spectroscopies to investigate supported Na2O/Al2O3 and K2CO3-promoted hydrotalcite for reversible CO2 capture," Christopher J. Keturakis, Michael G. Beaver, Hugo S. Caram, and Israel E. Wachs, March 2011, 241st ACS National Meeting, Anaheim, CA

 

Poster Presentations

  1. "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis, Olga B. Lapina, and Israel E. Wachs, May 2015, 36th Annual Michigan Catalysis Society Spring Symposium, Wayne State University

  2. "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis, Olga B. Lapina, and Israel E. Wachs, March 2015, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium, NJIT

  3. "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis, Olga B. Lapina, and Israel E. Wachs, December 2014, 18th NECZA Meeting, U. Penn

  4. "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis, Olga B. Lapina, and Israel E. Wachs, October 2014, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest

  5. "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis, Olga B. Lapina, and Israel E. Wachs, March 2014, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium, Lehigh University- 3rd Place

  6. "Operando Molecular Spectroscopy during Catalytic Biomass Pyrolysis," Christopher J. Keturakis, Olga B. Lapina, and Israel E. Wachs, October 2013, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest - 2nd Place

  7. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation," Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Marco Daturi, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, October 2012, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest - 2nd Place

  8. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation," Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Marco Daturi, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, Franklin Tao, and Israel E. Wachs, March 2012, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium

  9. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-XAS-MS Investigation," Christopher J. Keturakis, Emma Gibson, Marco Daturi, Relja Vasic, Anatoly Frenkel, and Israel E. Wachs, Nov. 2011, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest

  10. "A Raman and IR Investigation of Supported Na2O/Al2O3 and K2CO3-Promoted Hydrotalcite for Reversible CO2 Capture," Christopher J. Keturakis, Michael G. Beaver, Hugo S. Caram, and Israel E. Wachs, March 2011, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium

  11. "A Raman and IR Investigation of Supported Na2O/Al2O3 and K2CO3-Promoted Hydrotalcite for Reversible CO2 Capture," Christopher J. Keturakis, Michael G. Beaver, Hugo S. Caram, and Israel E. Wachs, October 2010, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest

  12. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-MS Investigation," C. Keturakis, I. Wachs, and M. Daturi, June 27-July 2, 2010, Gordan Research Conference: Catalysis

  13. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-MS Investigation," C. Keturakis, I. Wachs, and M. Daturi, June 2010, 21st International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering, Philadelphia, PA

  14. "New Insights into the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Bulk Cr2O3*Fe2O3 Mixed Oxide Catalysts: A Combined Operando Raman-IR-MS Investigation," C. Keturakis, I. Wachs, and M. Daturi, March 2010, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium

  15. "The High Temperature Water-Gas Shift Over Supported CrO3/Fe2O3 Catalysts," C. Keturakis, I. Wachs, and M. Daturi, March 2009, Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest

  16. "The High Temperature Water-Gas Shift Over CrO3/Fe2O3 Catalysts," C. Keturakis, I. Wachs, and M. Daturi, November 2008, AIChE Annual Meeting Undergraduate Poster Session - 2nd Place

 

Awards

3rd Place - March 2014 Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium

2nd Place - October 2013 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest

2nd Place - October 2012 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Annual Student Poster Contest

2nd Place - November 2008 AIChE Annual Meeting Undergraduate Poster Session - Catalysis & Reaction Engineering Section