Congratulations to Dr. Christia Jabbour for an Excellent PhD Defense. Rafael has successfully defended his PhD thesis, supervised by Prof. Bert Weckhuysen, dr. F. Meirer and dr. L. Mandemaker.

In her thesis, Christia investigated the flexibility of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), focusing on their adaptable synthesis and shaping techniques. Her research explored how these dynamic framework structures could be designed for specific applications in catalysis and environmental protection. She examined MOFs’ potential in active coatings and functionalized fabrics for deactivating biological and chemical toxins, particularly relevant during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. In her catalytic studies, Christia investigated platinum nanoparticles embedded within UiO-67 MOF structures, examining their role in CO2 hydrogenation reactions. She found that specific treatment processes improved selectivity for methanol formation. Her research extended to surface-mounted MOFs (SURMOFs), where she studied three different materials: UU-1, ZIF-8, and UiO-67, analyzing how various factors affected their growth and morphology. Christia developed a novel synthesis procedure forming MOF beads through chitosan entanglement, eliminating the need for potentially damaging mechanical pressure. She demonstrated that one-pot synthesis led to better MOF incorporation into chitosan beads and higher thermal stability compared to post-synthetic functionalization.

Christia’s PhD thesis is available to read here.