His research is focussed on understanding how nanoscale light-to-heat conversion at (ultra)fast timescales can be leveraged to increase the output of chemical reactors. His group combines photothermal catalysis experiments, time-resolved Raman microscopy, finite-element modelling, and microkinetic analysis, through which a detailed understanding is obtained on how periodic illumination affects the energy efficiency and selectivity of catalysts. In this context, he has been awarded Veni (2019) and NWO-XS grants (2021), which has led to break-through discoveries of ultrafast heating by metal nitride nanoparticles, “thermal imprinting” of plasmonic hotspots, and dynamic heterogeneous catalysis using photothermal heat-pulses. Sven will play a champion role in the teaching and management of the VU/UT ME program, including coordinating and supervising ME research projects.
Dr. Sven Askes joins the Physics and Astronomy Department
9 October 2023
Sven Askes is an assistant professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam since September 2023. He is hired in the context of the VU/UT collaboration on the Mechanical Engineering BSc program.