Sankar Meenakshisundaram

Sankar’s research focuses on the development of heterogeneous catalysts for the production of chemicals and fuel components from renewable and unconventional feedstock such as lignocellulosic biomass and CO₂. He is also interested in working at the interface between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis by developing heterogeneous catalysts for transformations that are traditionally homogeneously catalysed.

His research involves development of heterogeneous catalysts (supported metal nanoparticles, supported single atoms, metal oxides, inorganic – organic hybrid materials), catalyst testing (selective oxidation, hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, cascade reactions, depolymerisation), mechanistic investigation (in situ spectroscopic studies, kinetic studies), catalyst characterisation (state-of-the-art microscopic and spectroscopic studies) and structure-activity correlation. The overarching theme of Sankar’s research is to develop catalysts for a green and sustainable future.