Research in the David Lennon group involves surface chemistry and in particular applying a variety of spectroscopic techniques to probe the interaction of atoms and molecules on well-defined metal surfaces. Such substrates include supported metal catalysts as well as metal single crystals. An increased understanding of the structure and reactivity at surfaces is of fundamental importance in heterogeneous catalysis. Examples of current projects are (i) the development and optimisation of new supported metal catalysts for large scale industrial processes, (ii) spectroscopic investigations of heterogeneous catalyst systems and (iii) surface science experiments on metal single crystals. The majority of my work has industrial applications.

Hamilton, N.G., Silverwood, I., Warringham, R., Kapitan, J., Hecht, L., Webb, P.B., Tooze, R.P., Parker, S., and Lennon, D. (2013) Vibrational analysis of an industrial fe-based fischer-tropsch catalyst employing inelastic neutron scattering. Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), 52(21), pp. 5608-5611. (doi:10.1002/anie.201210179) Silverwood, I. P., Hamilton, N. G., McFarlane, A. R., Kapitan, J., Hecht, L., Norris, E. L., Ormerod, R. M., Frost, C. D., Parker, S. F., and Lennon, D. (2012) Application of inelastic neutron scattering to studies of CO2 reforming of methane over alumina-supported nickel and gold-doped nickel catalysts. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14(43), pp. 15214-15225. (doi:10.1039/C2CP42745A) Gibson, E.K., Winfield, J.M., Muir, K.W., Carr, R.H., Eaglesham, A., Gavezzotti, A., and Lennon, D. (2010) A structural and spectroscopic investigation of the hydrochlorination of 4,4-methylenedianiline. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 12(15), pp. 3824-3833. (doi:10.1039/b916368a) Silverwood, I.P., Hamilton, N. G., Laycock, C. J., Staniforth, J. Z., Ormerod, R. M., Frost, C. D., Parker, S. F., and Lennon, D. (2010) Quantification of surface species present on a nickel/alumina methane reforming catalyst. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 12(13), pp. 3102-3107. (doi:10.1039/b919977b)