Dr. Sven H. C. Askes
Photothermal catalysis and chemical plasmonics
- Group leaderNanoscale Photothermal Processes Lab, part of the PhotoConversion Materials research section
- Assistant professorDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Teacher and coordinatorMechanical Engineering BSc programme of VU Amsterdam and the University of Twente
Controlling energy flow at the nanoscale
Our group works at the intersection of nanophotonics, materials science, and heterogeneous catalysis. We want to understand and control how energy flows at the nanoscale. Through nanofabrication, ultrafast laser spectroscopy, and computational modelling, we develop materials and technologies for selective, energy-efficient, and programmable catalysis, with applications in green chemistry and clean energy production.
Pulsed photothermal catalysis (ERC Starting Grant)
Chemical reactors are usually heated with fossil fuels. We instead use short bursts of light to generate heat exactly where it is needed, at the catalytic surface. Plasmonic nanostructures (nanoscale metallic antennas) convert light into heat very efficiently. With them we create ultrafast, localized heat pulses that match the intrinsic timescales of catalytic reactions. This gives control over reaction rates and selectivity that steady heating cannot offer.
PolyPulse, plastic recycling with light flashes (CircularPlasticsNL)
In this National Growth Fund project we use photothermal materials and light pulses to control plastic pyrolysis. By illuminating plastic with flashes on the timescale of its decomposition reactions, we aim to steer the product distribution towards more useful products. Partners are Dr. Charusheela Ramanan (VU), Fabian Eisenreich (TU Eindhoven), and Nigel Visser (Veridis).
Steering chemical reactions with nanoparticles and light
A short introduction to our research, in Dutch.
Video courtesy of NWO Eyeopeners.
Career
- 2024National Growth Fund grant for PolyPulse, with Dr. Charusheela Ramanan (600 k€)
- 2023ERC Starting Grant (1.5 M€). Assistant professor at VU Amsterdam; teaching in the joint UT-VU Mechanical Engineering BSc
- 2021Joined Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- 2019Started an independent research line, funded by NWO Veni and NWO XS grants
- 2017–2019Postdoctoral researcher at AMOLF, Amsterdam (plasmonic photocatalysis, self-directed photoelectrochemical synthesis of catalysts, nanophotonic materials)
- 2017Postdoctoral researcher at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
- 2016PhD in Chemistry cum laude, Leiden University, on light-activated nanotechnologies for medical applications