Our research aims to drive the chemical industry toward a zero-emission future through advances in catalysis and surface science. We develop novel platform tools for automated, multidimensional operando characterization of heterogeneous catalysts and functional materials. A central focus is the design and fundamental understanding of new catalysts for the energy transition, with particular emphasis on surface structure and reactivity. We explore unconventional catalytic processes such as photocatalysis, driven either by direct sunlight or renewable electricity-powered LEDs. Through these efforts, we strive to enable sustainable chemical transformations at the molecular level.

Contact me if you are interested to join the group, as PhD student, Postdoctoral researcher, Master or Bachelor student (both Thesis and Hiwi positions are usually available).

Gesamtes Publikationsverzeichnis auf Google Scholar

• Matthias Becker, Hannes Frey, Syda Rabia Batool, Jeroen A. van Bokhoven, Arik Beck*: Al-anchored Platinum Catalysts on Reducible Supports: High Temperature Stability Against Redispersion During Methane Oxidation Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 373, 125323, 2025
• Arik Beck*, Justin Marlowe, Michael J Gordon, Phillip Christopher: Is There a Discernible Photochemical Effect Beyond Heating for Visible Photon-Mediated NH3 Decomposition over Ru/Al2O3? The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 128, 8590-8600, 2024
• Arik Beck*, Mark A. Newton, Leon G. A. van de Water, Jeroen A. van Bokhoven: The Enigma of Methanol Synthesis by Cu/ZnO/Al2O3‑Based Catalysts Chemical Reviews, 124, 4543-4678, 2024
• Arik Beck*, Vladimir Paunović, Jeroen A. van Bokhoven: Identifying and avoiding dead ends in the characterization of heterogeneous catalysts at the gas–solid interface Nature Catalysis 6, 873-884, 2023
• Hannes Frey+, Arik Beck+, Xing Huang, Jeroen A. van Bokhoven, Marc G. Willinger: Dynamic interplay between metal nanoparticles and oxide support under redox conditions Science 376 (6596), 982-987, 2022
• Arik Beck+, Maxim Zabilskiy+, Mark A Newton, Olga Safonova, Marc G. Willinger, Jeroen A. van Bokhoven: Following the structure of copper-zinc-alumina across the pressure gap in carbon dioxide hydrogenation Nature Catalysis 4, 488-497, 2021
• Arik Beck, Xing Huang, Luca Artiglia, Maxim Zabilskiy, Xing Wang, Przemyslaw Rzepka, Dennis Palagin, Marc G. Willinger, Jeroen A. van Bokhoven: The dynamics of overlayer formation on catalyst nanoparticles and strong metal-support interaction Nature communications 11 (1), 1-8, 2020

•  A. Beck; Stabilizing noble metal nanoparticles on reducible oxides: Insights into deactivation, transformation, and Al-doping. ACS Spring 2025, San Diego/USA, March 2025, invited.

• A. Beck: A Tale of Two Systems – Differentiating Photochemical Effects in Metal Catalysis. Institute Seminar at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, Villigen/Switzerland, September 2024, invited.

• A. Beck: From Grey to Green Methanol: Key Learnings from the Cu-Zn-Al (CZA) Catalyst Evolution. Lecture at Johnson Matthey research facility, Billingham/United Kingdom, August 2024, invited.

• A. Beck, M. Zabilskiy, M. A. Newton, O. Safonova, M.-G. Willinger, J. A. van Bokhoven: Pressure and temperature dependence of metallic zinc and partially reduced zinc oxide formation in copper-zinc-alumina catalysts – Limits of X-ray spectroscopy, Invited Talk at the 15th EuropaCat (European Congress on Catalysis) for winning the EFCATS best PhD Thesis Award, Prague, CZ, 2023.

• A. Beck, H. Frey, X. Huang, J. A. van Bokhoven, M.-G. Willinger: Dynamics of nanoparticle motion and metal-oxide support in redox-reactive gases, North American Catalysis at NAM28, 28th Meeting of the North American Catalysis Society, Providence (Rhode Island), USA, 2023.