B.S.in Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, 2012

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, 2017

Contact Information

anc412 [at] lehigh.edu

Research Interests

My dissertation involves the study of two related industrially applicable catalyst-reaction systems: ethylene polymerization by supported CrO_x/SiO₂ catalysts and olefin metathesis by supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ catalysts. Using in situ and operando spectroscopic methods (Raman, UV-vis DRS, DRIFTS, TPSR, XAS) during industrially relevant reaction conditions allowed for new insights to be achieved concerning the catalyst structure and also led to the elucidation of structure-activity relationships for the supported CrO_x/SiO₂ catalysts, currently non-existent in the ethylene polymerization literature. The standard CrO_x/SiO₂ catalyst was also promoted with three metal oxides (TiO_x, AlO_x, ZrO_x) to determine the role of promotor oxides. More recently, I have been using in situ spectroscopy (Raman, UV-vis DRS, DRIFTS, TPSR) to study supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ catalysts for olefin metathesis to develop structure-activity relationships, which have also been absent from the literature.

 

Publications

1. The Role of Promoters in Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/MO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts, A. Chakrabarti, S. Luo, Z. Wu, I.E. Wachs, in preparation.
2. Activation Mechanism and Surface Intermediates for Olefin Metathesis by Supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ Catalysts, A. Chakrabarti, S. Luo, Z. Wu, I.E. Wachs, in preparation.
3. Molecular Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Olefin Metathesis by Al₂O₃-Supported Surface MoO_x Sites, A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, ACS Catalysis, 2017.
4. A decade+ of operando spectroscopy studies, A. Chakrabarti, M.E. Ford, D. Gregory, R. Hu, C.J. Keturakis, S. Lwin, Y. Tang, Z. Yang, M. Zhu, M.A. Banares, I.E. Wachs, Catalysis Today, 2017, 283, 27-53.
5. Operando Molecular Spectroscopy During Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts: Active Sites, Reaction Intermediates, and Structure-Activity Relationship, A. Chakrabarti, M. Gierada, J. Handzlik, I.E. Wachs, Topics in Catalysis, 2016, 59, 725-739.
6. The Nature of Surface CrO_x Sites on SiO₂ in Different Environments," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, Catal Letters, 2015, 145, 985-994.

 

Oral Presentations

1. “Molecular Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Olefin Metathesis by Supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ Catalysts,” A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, October 2017, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Meeting, Invited Student Lecture
2. “Molecular Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Olefin Metathesis by Supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ Catalysts,” A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, August 2017, 254th ACS Meeting, Symposium on Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysis, Washington, D.C.
3. “The Role of Promoters in Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/MO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts,” A. Chakrabarti, S. Luo, Z. Wu, and I.E. Wachs, August 2017, 254th ACS Meeting, Symposium on Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysis, Washington, D.C.
4. "Operando Spectroscopy During Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts: Role of Promoters," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, February 2017, Graduate Student Symposium, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
5. "Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts: Active Sites, Surface Intermediates, and Structure-Activity Relationship," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, August 2016, American Chemical Society Meeting, Symposium in Honor of Israel E. Wachs: Celebrating Three Decades in Academia, Philadelphia, Invited Talk
6. "The Role of Promoters in Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/MO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, April 2016, Graduate Student Symposium, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
7. "Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, February 2016, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Meeting, Invited Student Lecture

 

Awards and Honors

Overall Winner - 2017 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Student Poster Competition

2017 Chevron Scholars Award in Chemical Engineering

2017 ACS Catalysis Division Travel Award (Fall ACS Meeting, Washington, D.C.)

2016 ACS Catalysis Division Travel Award (Fall ACS Meeting, Philadelphia)

Poster Presentations

1. "Molecular Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Olefin Metathesis by Supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, November 2017, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Student Poster Competition, Overall Winner
2. "Molecular Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Olefin Metathesis by Supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, September 2017, Graduate Student Symposium, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
3. "Olefin Metathesis by Supported MoO_x/Al₂O₃ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, March 2017, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium
4. "Operando Spectroscopy During Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂: Role of Promoters," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, November 2016, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Student Poster Competition
5. "The Role of Promoters for Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, June 2016, Gordon Research Conference, New London, NH
6. "The Role of Promoters for Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, March 2016, The Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York Spring Symposium
7. "Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts: Active Sites, Surface Intermediates, and Structure-Activity Relationship," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, November 2015, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Student Poster Competition
8. "An In Situ Molecular Spectroscopic Study of Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, June 2015, 24th North American Catalysis Society Meeting, Pittsburgh
9. "Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts: Active Sites, Surface Intermediates, and Structure-Activity Relationship," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, March 2015, The Catalysis Society of Metroplitan New York Spring Symposium
10. "An In Situ Molecular Spectroscopic Study of Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, October 2014, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Student Poster Competition
11. "An In Situ Molecular Spectroscopic Study of Ethylene Polymerization by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I.E. Wachs, March 2014, The Catalysis Society of Metroplitan New York Spring Symposium
12. "In Situ Molecular Spectroscopy of Ethylene Polymerizaiton by Supported CrO_x/SiO₂ Catalysts," A. Chakrabarti and I. E. Wachs, October 2013, The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Student Poster Competition