Eric van Steen
Department of Chemical Engineering
Office 5.01
University of Cape Town
Tel: +27 (0)21 650 3796 (office)
Fax: + 27 (0)867548934
Email: Eric.vansteen@uct.ac.za
Background
Eric van Steen obtained his 1st degree from the Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) with a MSc-thesis describing the characterization of ageing of stationary phases for RP-HPLC using NMR and his PhD from the Technische Universität Karlsruhe (Germany) with a thesis on the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. He came to South Africa in 1994 as a post-doctoral fellow and joined the staff in the department of Chemical Engineering at UCT as a senior lecturer in 1995. He was promoted to associate professor in 1998 and professor in 2001. His teaching focuses on engineering thermodynamics and reactor design. He was Head of Department from 2003-2007 and again since June 2015.
His research interest is focussed on heterogeneous catalysis with of course a strong focus in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Currently, he is trying to create and characterize model systems (either experimentally or theoretically using Density Functional theory) to gain more insight in fundamental aspects of heterogeneous catalysis, such as met-support interactions and reaction kinetics.
Qualification
1988 – 1993 PhD “Elemental reaction steps of Fischer-Tropsch CO-hydrogenation with iron and cobalt based catalysts” supervised by Prof. Dr. H. Schulz, Faculty of Chemical Engineering,
University of Karlsruhe (Germany)
1981 – 1987 MSc “Characterization of ageing of stationary phases for RP-HPLC” supervised by Prof. Dr. C. Cramers/Dr. J. de Haan, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Technical University Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Employment History
2015
Current – Head of Department Chemical Engineering (UCT).
2003 -2007
Head of Department Chemical Engineering (UCT).
2001
Ad-hominum promotion to Professor
1998
Ad-hominum promotion to Associate Professor
1995
Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town
1994
Post-doctoral researcher at the Catalysis Research Unit, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town
1988 – 1993
Scientific assistant at the Engler-Bunte Institut, University of Karlsruhe, Germany
Publications
Nabaho, J.W. Niemantsverdriet, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Hydrogen spillover in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: an analysis of platinum as a promoter for cobalt-alumina catalysts”, Catalysis Today 261 (2016), 17-27.
Sango, N. Fischer, R. Henkel, F. Roessner, E. van Steen, M. Claeys, “Formation of nitrogen containing compounds from ammonia co-fed to the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis”, Applied Catalysis A: General 502 (2015), 150-156.
A. Petersen, J.M. Cariem, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “A DFT perspective on the potassium promotion of -Fe5C2(100)”, Applied Catalysis A: General 496 (2015), 64-72.
Claeys, M. Dry, E. van Steen, P. van Berge, S. Booyens, R. Crous, P. van Helden, J. Labuschagne, D. Moodley, A. Saib, “Impact of process conditions on the sintering behavior of an alumina supported cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalyst studied with an in-situ magnetometer”, ACS Catalysis 5 (2015), 841-852.
van Steen, M. Claeys, “Promoting -Fe5C2(100)0.25 with copper – a DFT study”, Catalysis, Structure & Reactivity 1 (2015), 11-18.
Kunene, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Pt/Au alloys as reduction promoters for Co/TiO2 Fischer-Tropsch catalysts, Advanced Materials Research 1019 (2014), 365-371.
de Beer, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Preparation of Pt-promoted Co/SiO2 catalysts for CO hydrogenation by strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA)”, Advanced Materials Research 1019 (2014), 357-364.
Claeys, M.E. Dry, E. van Steen, E. du Plessis, P.J. van Berge, A.M. Saib, D.J. Moodley, “In-situ magnetometer study on the formation and stability of cobalt carbide in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis”, Journal of Catalysis 318 (2014), 193-202.
de Beer, A. Kunene, D. Nabaho, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Technical and economic aspects of promotion of cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts by noble metals – a review”, Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 114 (2014), 157-165.
Fischer, E. van Steen, M. Claeys, “Tri-cobalt Carboxylate as a catalyst and catalyst precursor in the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis”, ChemCatChem 6 (2014), 1707-1713; DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201300932.
P. Mogorosi, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Enhanced activity via surface modification of Fe-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst precursor with titanium butoxide”, Topics in Catalysis 57 (2014), 572-581; DOI: 10.1007/s11244-013-0213-0
Fischer, B. Clapham, T. Feltes, E. van Steen, M. Claeys, “Size-dependent phase transformation of catalytically active nanoparticles captured in-situ”, Angewandte Chemie International Edition 53 (2014), 1342-1345.
H. Chonco, A. Ferreira, L. Lodya, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Ferrites – a model structure to study group 11 promoters in Fe-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts”, Journal of Catalysis 308 (2013) 363-373.
H. Chonco, L. Lodya, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Comparing silver and copper as promoters in Fe-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts using delafossite as a model compound”, Journal of Catalysis 307 (2013) 283-294.
K. Fung, L. Ledwaba, N. Modiba, M. Claeys, E. van Steen “Choosing a suitable support for Co3O4 as a NH3-catalyst”, Catalysis Science and Technology 3 (2013), 1905-1909.
Fischer, E. van Steen, M. Claeys, “Structure sensitivity of the Fischer-Tropsch activity and selectivity on alumina supported catalysts”, Journal of Catalysis 299 (2013), 67-80.
K. Fung, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Effective utilization of the catalytically active phase: NH3 oxidation over unsupported and supported Co3O4”, Catalysis Letters 142 (2012), 445-451.
Mehlomakulu T.T.N. Nguyen, P. Delichère, E. van Steen, J.M.M. Millet, “Identification of the active species in oxidation reactions on mixed oxide catalysts: Supra-surface or bulk surface species”, Journal of Catalysis 289 (2012), 1-10.
P. Mogorosi, N. Fischer, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Strong metal support interaction by molecular design: Fe-silicate interactions in Fischer-Tropsch catalysts”, Journal of Catalysis 289 (2012), 140-150.
Fischer, M. Minnemann, M. Bäumer, E. van Steen, M. Claeys, “Metal support interactions in Co3O4/Al2O3 catalysts prepared from w/o micro-emulsions”, Catalysis Letters 142 (2012), 830-837.
Royker, E. van Steen, J. Case, “Platinum promotion of Au/Al2O3-catalysts for the glycerol oxidation: activity, selectivity and deactivation”, Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 112 (2012), 577-581.
van Heerden, M. Hill, J. Case, E. van Steen, “Characterization of Au catalysts”, Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 112 (2012), 527-533.
M. Hauman, A. Saib, D.J. Moodley, E. du Plessis, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Re-dispersion of cobalt on a model Fischer-Tropsch catalyst during reduction-oxidation-reduction cycles”, ChemCatChem 4 (2012), 1411-1419.
Fischer, E. van Steen, M. Claeys, “Preparation of supported nano-sized cobalt oxide and fcc cobalt crystallites”, Catalysis Today 171 (2011), 327-334.
A. van Santen, I.M. Ciobica, E. van Steen, M.M. Ghouri, “Mechanistic issues in Fischer-Tropsch Catalysis”, Advances in Catalysis 54 (2011), 127-187.
J. Weststrate, M.M. Hauman, D.J. Moodley, A.M. Saib, E. van Steen, J.W. Niemantsverdriet, “Cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalyst regeneration: the crucial role of the Kirkendall effect for cobalt re-dispersion”, Topics in Catalysis 54 (2011), 811-816.
van Helden, E. van Steen, “A DFT study of hydrogen dissociation on CO and C pre-covered Fe(100) surfaces”, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 114 (2010), 5932-5940.
Harmse, C. van Schalkwyk, E. van Steen, “On the product formation in 1-butene metathesis over supported tungsten catalysts”, Catalysis Letters 137 (2010), 123-131.
D. Biquiza, M. Claeys, E. van Steen, “Thermodynamic and experimental aspects of ‘supercritical’ Fischer-Tropsch synthesis”, Fuel Processing Technology 91 (2010), 1250-1255.
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