Website: http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/asayari/

Research involves

Designing and testing new adsorbents and catalytic materials.

Research relevance

Will develop environmentally friendly catalytic processes and improve fuel cell technology via more efficient oxygen separation.

Catalysts For Change

Catalysis plays a key role in the manufacture of most chemicals including drugs, cosmetics, detergents, polymers, fuels and pesticides, and in the control of pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides.

As Canadian Research Chair in Catalysis Research and Innovation, Dr. Abdelhamid Sayari will increase the pace of his work in the area of environmental heterogeneous catalysis. His research will address the development of alternative processes that minimize the consumption of energy and avoid using, transporting or storing toxic chemicals such as phosgene, or producing harmful or low-value byproducts.

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations and pressure to improve process economics have created new opportunities for developing alternative environmentally friendly catalytic processes. In this context, Dr. Sayari's work is focused on the design of new modified porous materials for selective oxidation of organic substrates under mild conditions, using environmentally benign dilute hydrogen peroxide. He has made significant achievements to eliminate organic pollutants and heavy metals from wastewater via adsorption and catalytic oxidation.

Another area of Dr. Sayari's research is the development, in concert with QuestAir Technologies of innovative zeolites for fast-cycle oxygen enrichment, a key factor in the successful evolution of fuel cell technology. Progress in this field will strengthen the position of Canada as a world leader in fuel cell technology.
Yet another area where Dr. Sayari's research holds significant promise is the development of surface-modified nanoporous adsorbents - materials that can adhere to other substances - for dry scrubbing of carbon dioxide and other acid gases from natural gas, fuel cells reformate gas and industrial gas streams.
Dr. Sayari's role will be to direct the University of Ottawa's Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation, which includes a number of researchers who are working in related areas. One of his goals will be to increase the visibility of the centre and develop it into a highly competitive institution on a global scale.