The researcher receives the grant for the HEATPULSE project. With his research, Askes aims to challenge the traditional approach for the use of catalytic reactors in the chemical industry. These reactors are typically used to produce essential building blocks for our society, such as raw materials for plastics and fertilisers.
Since September 2023, Sven Askes has been an assistant professor at VU Amsterdam. He was hired as part of the collaboration between VU Amsterdam and University of Twente for the Mechanical Engineering bachelor's program. Askes' research focuses on catalytic reactors, which normally operate at a constant temperature, making them less controllable and less efficient.
The researcher aims to change this by rapidly altering the temperature using short bursts of light and very small particles of materials that can efficiently convert light into heat. By precisely coordinating the timing of these light bursts to the speed of chemical reactions, he believes he can control the reactions better and enhance the energy efficiency.
About the Starting Grant
The ERC uses the Starting Grants to support talented early-career scientists to carry out pioneering projects for a period of five years. Earlier this year, other researchers also received the grant. More information can be found on the ERC website.