KAUST Catalysis Center
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Research Interests

​My research interests focus on the synthesis and development of supported metal catalysts for applications in heterogeneous catalysis that include CO2, conversion, biomass valorization, and methane/syngas conversions. Exploring structure-function relationships using in situ spectroscopic and adsorption techniques is an integral part of my research to design active and stable catalysts and studying the reaction mechanism. 

Selected Publications

  • Conversion of γ‐valerolactone to ethyl valerate over metal promoted Ni/ZSM‐5 catalysts: Influence of Ni0/Ni2+ heter...
    V.V. Kumar, D. Jampaiah, G. Naresh, U. Bentrup, A. Brueckner, S. K. Bhargava, A. Venugopal
    ChemCatChem Accepted, (2020)
  • Influence of support for Ru and water role on product selectivity in the vapour phase hydrogenation of levulinic ac...
    V.V. Kumar, P. G. Bhavani, G. Naresh, B. Venu, K. Manasa, KVR Chary, A. Venugopal
    The Journal of Physical Chemistry C: 122 19670-19677 , (2018)
  • Hydrodeoxygenation activity of W modified Ni/H-ZSM-5 catalyst for single-step conversion of levulinic acid to penta...
    V.V. Kumar, G. Naresh, J. Tardio, S.K. Bhargava, V. Krishna, C. Anjaneyulu, M. Sudhakar, A...
    Applied Catalysis A: General 550 (2018) 142-150 , (2018)
  • Vapour phase hydrogenation of aqueous levulinic acid over hydroxyapatite supported metal (M = Pd, Pt, Ru, Cu, and N...
    M. Sudhakar, V.V. Kumar, G. Naresh, S.K. Bhargava, M.L. Kantam, A. Venugopal
    Applied Catalysis: B Environmental 180 (2016) 113-120, (2016)
  • Influence of W on the reduction behaviour and Brønsted acidity of Ni/TiO2 catalyst in the hydrogenation of levulini...
    V.V. Kumar, G. Naresh, S. Deepa, P. Bhavani, M. Nagaraju, M. Sudhakar, KVR Chary, J. Tardi...
    Applied Catalysis A: General 531 (2017) 169-176 , (2017)

Education Profile

  • Ph.D. (Applied Chemistry), RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, 2016.
  • M.Sc. (Chemistry), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, India, 2012.
  • B.Sc., Government City College, Osmania University, India, 2010. 

Professional Profile

  • 2019 – Present; Postdoctoral Fellow, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
  • 2018 – 2019; DAAD Research Fellow, Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, Rostock, Germany.
  • 2017 – 2018; Research Associate, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India. 

Awards

  • DAAD-Leibniz Research Fellowship – 2018.
  • The Perkin Elmer Prize – 2016 in Ph.D. at RMIT University, Australia.
  • Best M.Sc. Dissertation Award – 2012 in Chemistry at IIT Madras India.
  • Gold Medal – 2010 in Chemistry, Osmania University, India. 

KAUST Affiliations

  • KAUST Catalysis Center(KCC)
  • Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering(PSE)