Dr James McGregor
MChem (Hons), PhD, CEng, MIChemE, MRSC, FHEA
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Senior Lecturer
Head of Student Recruitment
james.mcgregor@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4918
+44 114 222 4918
Room G58, Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Full contact details
Dr James McGregor
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Room G58
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Room G58
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
-
I graduated from The University of Edinburgh in 2002 with an MChem (Hons) in Chemistry and completed a PhD in heterogeneous catalysis at the University of Cambridge, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, in 2006 under the supervision of Prof. Lynn Gladden. Thereafter, I worked as a Research Associate in the Magnetic Resonance and Catalysis group at Cambridge.
In 2009 I completed a stay as a guest scientist at the Fritz-Haber Institute, Berlin, working in the group of Prof. Robert Schlögl. In 2010 I was appointed as a University Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, moving to Sheffield as a Lecturer in 2012. I was promoted to my present position of Senior Lecturer in 2017.
I am a chartered engineer, Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (MIChemE) and member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC).
- Research interests
-
My research is concerned with sustainable catalytic science and engineering, with a particular focus on the application of waste or low-value co-products as feedstocks for the production of value-added chemicals and fuels. Current areas of research include CO2 utilisation and biomass conversion. Additional interests include the role of carbonaceous materials in catalytic processes.
The most current information on research activities in the McGregor group can be found on our Sustainable Catalytic Engineering website.
Key research interests:
- The conversion of waste and a low-value co-products
- Biomass conversion
- Carbon dioxide utilisation
- Energy materials
- Petrochemical processing via heterogeneous catalysis
- The role of carbon and coke deposition in catalysis
- Novel catalyst characterisation tools
I am also an active member of the UK Catalysis Hub.
- Publications
-
Journal articles
- Catalytic Hydrothermal Conversion of Polypropylene. Catalysis Today, 114807-114807.
- In-situ FTIR spectroscopy investigation of carbon-supported PdAuNi electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry.
- Catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with hydrogen using carbon-supported d-metal catalysts. Waste and Biomass Valorization.
- Carbon-supported trimetallic catalysts (PdAuNi/C) for borohydride oxidation reaction. Nanomaterials, 11(6). View this article in WRRO
- Influence of biochar composition and source material on catalytic performance : the carboxylation of glycerol with CO2 as a case study. Catalysts, 10(9).
- Tailoring product characteristics in the carbonisation of brewers’ spent grain through solvent selection. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 120, 41-47. View this article in WRRO
- H2‐free synthesis of aromatic, cyclic and linear oxygenates from CO2. ChemSusChem. View this article in WRRO
- Blue urea : fertilizer with reduced environmental impact. Frontiers in Energy Research, 7. View this article in WRRO
- The role of impurities in the La2O3 catalysed carboxylation of crude glycerol. Catalysis Letters. View this article in WRRO
- Investigation of ZSM-5 Catalysts for Dimethylether Conversion Using Inelastic Neutron Scattering. Applied Catalysis A: General. View this article in WRRO
- Influence of physicochemical characteristics of carbon supports on Pd ethanol oxidation catalysts. Energy Procedia, 151, 79-83. View this article in WRRO
- An assessment of hydrocarbon species in the methanol-to-hydrocarbon reaction over a ZSM-5 catalyst.. Faraday Discuss. View this article in WRRO
- Analysis of Mesoscopic Structured 2-Propanol/Water Mixtures Using Pressure Perturbation Calorimetry and Molecular Dynamic Simulation. Journal of Solution Chemistry. View this article in WRRO
- Heterogeneous reaction of ClONO2 with TiO2 and SiO2 aerosol particles: implications for stratospheric particle injection for climate engineering. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16, 15397-15412. View this article in WRRO
- Structural changes in FeOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts during ethylbenzene dehydrogenation. Catalysis, Structure & Reactivity, 2(1), 25-32. View this article in WRRO
- The role of the Boudouard and water-gas shift reactions in the methanation of CO or CO2 over Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Chemical Engineering Science, 152, 754-766. View this article in WRRO
- Kinetic studies of the methanation of CO over a Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst using a batch reactor. Chemical Engineering Science, 146, 316-336. View this article in WRRO
- Application of Inelastic Neutron Scattering to the Methanol-to-Gasoline Reaction Over a ZSM-5 Catalyst. Catalysis Letters, 146(7), 1242-1248. View this article in WRRO
- Kinetic studies of CO2 methanation over a Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst using a batch reactor. Chemical Engineering Science, 141, 28-45. View this article in WRRO
- Structure and dynamics of aqueous 2-propanol: a THz-TDS, NMR and neutron diffraction study. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(45), 30481-30491. View this article in WRRO
- Things go better with coke: the beneficial role of carbonaceous deposits in heterogeneous catalysis. Catalysis Science and Technology, 6(2), 363-378. View this article in WRRO
- A kinetic analysis methodology to elucidate the roles of metal, support and solvent for the hydrogenation of 4-phenyl-2-butanone over Pt/TiO2. Journal of Catalysis, 330, 362-373. View this article in WRRO
- The enhancement of the catalytic performance of CrOx/Al2O3 catalysts for ethylbenzene dehydrogenation through tailored coke deposition. Catalysis Science and Technology, 6(4), 1120-1133. View this article in WRRO
- Effect of solvent on the hydrogenation of 4-phenyl-2-butanone over Pt based catalysts. Journal of Catalysis, 330, 344-353. View this article in WRRO
- A new perspective on catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene: the influence of side-reactions on catalytic performance. Catalysis Science and Technology, 5, 3782-3797. View this article in WRRO
- Heterogeneous Interaction of SiO2 with N2O5: Aerosol Flow Tube and Single Particle Optical Levitation–Raman Spectroscopy Studies. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 118(38), 8817-8827.
- Mesoscopic Structuring and Dynamics of Alcohol/Water Solutions Probed by Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy and Pulsed Field Gradient Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 118(34), 10156-10166.
- Heterogeneous reaction of N2O5 with airborne TiO2 particles and its implication for stratospheric particle injection. ACP, 14(12), 6035-6048.
- A new combined nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopic probe applied to in situ investigations of catalysts and catalytic processes. Review of Scientific Instruments, 85(6).
- Optical trapping and Raman spectroscopy of solid particles. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 16(23), 11426-11434.
- Heterogeneous reaction of N2O5 with airborne TiO2 particles and its implication for stratospheric particle injection. ACPD, 14(4), 4421-4456.
- Operando magnetic resonance: Monitoring the evolution of conversion and product distribution during the heterogeneous catalytic ethene oligomerisation reaction. Chemical Communications, 49(89), 10519-10521.
- Towards tailored porous polymers using solvent effects in catalytic degradation. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 298(12), 1344-1349.
- ChemInform Abstract: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. ChemInform, 43(50), no-no.
- Solvent effects in the hydrogenation of 2-butanone. Journal of Catalysis, 289, 30-41.
- Framework materials for acid-catalysed hydrocarbon conversion: Understanding coke deposition and enhancing catalyst lifetime. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Research Institute - Annual Catalysts in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals Symposium Papers, 83.
- The nature and role of carbonaceous overlayers in ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over alumina supported catalysts. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Research Institute - Annual Catalysts in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals Symposium Papers, 95.
- The influence of carbon laydown on selectivity in the hydrogenation of pentenenitriles over supported-nickel catalysts. Applied Catalysis A: General, 384(1-2), 192-200.
- Tuning the acid/base properties of nanocarbons by functionalization via amination. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 132(28), 9616-9630.
- Structure and Dynamics of 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Acetate via Molecular Dynamics and Neutron Diffraction. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 114(23), 7760-7768.
- ChemInform Abstract: Solid-State NMR of Oxidation Catalysts. ChemInform, 41(13).
- Active coke: Carbonaceous materials as catalysts for alkane dehydrogenation. Journal of Catalysis, 269(2), 329-339.
- The use of terahertz spectroscopy as a sensitive probe in discriminating the electronic properties of structurally similar multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Advanced Materials, 21(38-39), 3953-3957.
- Understanding the dielectric properties of heat-treated carbon nanofibers at terahertz frequencies: A new perspective on the catalytic activity of structured carbonaceous materials. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 113(24), 10554-10559.
- The role of surface vanadia species in butane dehydrogenation over VO
x /Al2 O3 . Catalysis Today, 142(3-4), 143-151.
- Comparing strengths of surface interactions for reactants and solvents in porous catalysts using Two-dimensional NMR relaxation correlations. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 113(16), 6610-6615.
- The role of carbon deposits in the hydrogenation of C
5 hydrocarbons. Applied Catalysis A: General, 345(1), 51-57.
- NMR Studies of coke laydown on supported V/Al2O3 catalysts. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 25(4), 562-563.
- FTIR analysis of gaseous compounds in the mainstream smoke of regular and light cigarettes. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 45(2), 266-271.
- Alkyne hydrogenation over Pd catalysts: A new paradigm. Journal of Catalysis, 242(1), 26-37.
- Reduction of CO2 captured in basic solutions with biomass as reducing agent and metallic catalysts. RSC Sustainability.
- Hydroisomerisation and Hydrocracking of n-Heptane: Modelling and Optimisation Using a Hybrid Artificial Neural Network–Genetic Algorithm (ANN–GA). Catalysts.
- Experimental and kinetic studies of the advantages of coke accumulation over Beta and Mordenite catalysts according to the pore mouth catalysis hypothesis. Catalysis Communications.
- Unexpected Negative Performance of PdRhNi Electrocatalysts toward Ethanol Oxidation Reaction. Micromachines.
- Synergistic Hydrothermal Conversion of Aqueous Solutions of CO2 and Biomass Waste Liquefaction into Formate. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
- “Reverse combustion” of carbon dioxide in water: the influence of reaction conditions. Front. Energy Res..
- Reaction Kinetics of Cinnamaldehyde Hydrogenation over Pt/SiO2: Comparison between Bulk and Intraparticle Diffusion Models. International Journal of Chemical Engineering.
- The Dehydrogenation of Butane on Metal-Free Graphene. Journal of Colloid & Interface Science.
- Determining adsorbate configuration on alumina surfaces with 13C nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation time analysis. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(32), 20830-20839. View this article in WRRO
- Corrigendum to "Heterogeneous reaction of N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> with airborne TiO<sub>2</sub> particles and its implication for stratospheric particle injection" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 6035–6048, 2014. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 14(16), 8233-8234.
- General discussion. Faraday Discussions, 168, 571-571.
- General discussion. Faraday Discussions, 168, 423-423.
- Improving Product Yield in the Direct Carboxylation of Glycerol with CO2 through the Tailored Selection of Dehydrating Agents. Catalysts, 11(1).
- The role of Zn in the sustainable one-pot synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from carbon dioxide, methanol and propylene oxide. Chemical Engineering Science.
- Synthesis and Characterization of PdAgNi/C Trimetallic Nanoparticles for Ethanol Electrooxidation. Nanomaterials, 11(9), 2244-2244.
- Operando Studies of Aerosol-Assisted Sol-Gel Catalyst Synthesis via Combined Optical Trapping and Raman Spectroscopy. Journal of Physical Chemistry C.
- Synthesis of Carbon-Supported PdIrNi Catalysts and Their Performance towards Ethanol Electrooxidation. Micromachines.
- Hydrothermal Synthesis of Biomass-Derived Magnetic Carbon Composites for Adsorption and Catalysis. ACS Omega.
Chapters
- Effect of the acetylation on the water resistance of biopolymer stabilised soil, Geotechnical Engineering Challenges to Meet Current and Emerging Needs of Society (pp. 3450-3454). CRC Press
- Catalytic carbon materials from biomass, Emerging Carbon Materials for Catalysis (pp. 161-195). Elsevier
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Characterization of Solid Materials and Heterogeneous Catalysts: From Structure to Surface Reactivity, Volume 1&2 (pp. 289-342).
- Solid-State NMR of Oxidation Catalysts, Metal Oxide Catalysis (pp. 195-242).
- Alkane Dehydrogenation over Vanadium and Chromium Oxides, Metal Oxide Catalysis (pp. 595-612).
Book reviews
- Industrial Catalysis: A Practical Approach, Jens Hagen 3rd Edition
Wiley-VCH, 2015; Hardcover £120, €144. 544 pages. ISBN: 978-3-527-33165-9. Applied Organometallic Chemistry, 31(12), e3841-e3841.
Conference proceedings papers
- Enhancing the Water and Biodegradation Resistance of Biopolymer Stabilised Soils – Design Concepts (pp 293-302)
- Assessment of copper-iron catalyst supported on activated carbon for low-temperature nitric oxide reduction by hydrogen. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 765(1) (pp 012093-012093)
- Hydrothermal water a solvent, reactant, and catalyst for sustainable catalytic engineering. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Vol. 258
- Characterization of carbon deposits during heterogeneous catalysis using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. IRMMW-THz 2010 - 35th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, Conference Guide
- Hydrogen bonding networks in solvent mixture and their impact on the mobility of molecules as probed by THz-TDS and NMR spectroscopy. IRMMW-THz 2010 - 35th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, Conference Guide
- Untangling the electronic properties in highly similar multi-walled carbon nanotubes by terahertz spectroscopy. 34th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, IRMMW-THz 2009
- Understanding the catalytic activity of heat treated carbon nanofibres: Investigation of their dielectric properties at THz frequencies. 33rd International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves and the 16th International Conference on Terahertz Electronics, 2008, IRMMW-THz 2008
Patents
- CATALYST AND PROCESS. WO2010140005 Appl. 01 Jan 1970.
- Catalytic Hydrothermal Conversion of Polypropylene. Catalysis Today, 114807-114807.
- Teaching activities
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I am currently module lead on CPE250, "Reaction Engineering I" and supervise MEng research projects.
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Chartered Engineer (CEng)
- Member Institute of Chemical Engineers (MIChemE)
- Member Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)