Natalia Morlanes, Ph.D.

Research Support

Staff Engineer - HTP

Social Profile:

Research Interests

​Study of the catalytic performance of molecular compounds on redox events involved on water splitting and solar fuels production processes, like oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution or CO2 reduction; in order to gain understanding in the reaction mechanisms, with the main goal of providing useful guidelines to rationally design new generation of efficient and stable Bio-inspired catalysts for solar fuels production.

Selected Publications

  • An Efficient and Stable Hydrophobic Molecular Cobalt Catalyst for Water Electro-oxidation at Neutral pH 
    B.-T. Chen, N. Morlanés, E. Adogla, K. Takanabe, V.O. Rodionov
    ACS Catal., 6 (7), 4647-4652, (2016)
  • Simultaneous Reduction of CO2 and Splitting of H2O by a Single Immobilized Cobalt Phthalocyanine Electrocatalyst 
    N. Morlanés, K. Takanabe, V. Rodionov
    ACS Catal., 6 (5), 3092-3095, (2016)
  • Immobilization of a molecular cobalt electrocatalyst by hydrophobic interaction with a hematite photoanode for high... 
    K.S. Joya, N. Morlanés, E. Maloney, V. Rodionov, K. Takanabe
    Chem. Commun., 51, 13481-13844, (2015)
  • Perfluorinated cobalt phthalocyanine effectively catalyzes water electrooxidation 
    N. Morlanés, K.S. Joya, K. Takanabe, V. Rodionov
    Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 49-52, (2015)
  • Increasing the Aromatic Selectivity of Quinoline Hydrogenolysis using Pd/MOx-Al2O3M 
    Bachrach, N. Morlanés, C.P. Canlas, J.T. Miller, T.J. Marks, J.M. Notestein
    ,. CATALYSIS LETTERS, , 144 (11) 1832 - 1838, (2014)
  • Reaction mechanism of naphtha steam reforming on nickel-based catalysts, and FTIR Spectroscopy with CO adsorption t... 
    N. Morlanes
    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY, 38 3588-3596, (2013)
  • Kinetic study of cyclooctene epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide over silica-supported calixarene-Ta(V) 
    N. Morlanés, J.M. Notestein 
    APPLIED CATALYSIS A: GEN , 387(1-2) 45-54 , (2010)
  • Grafted Ta–calixarenes: Tunable, selective catalysts for direct olefin epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide 
    N. Morlanés, J.M. Notestein 
    J. OF CATALYSIS, 275 (2) 191-201, (2010)
  • Study of the composition of ternary mixed oxides. Use of these materials on a hydrogen production process 
    F.V. Melo, N. Morlanes 
    CATALYSIS TODAY 133-135 374-382, (2008)
  • Synthesis, characterization and catalytic behaviour of NiMgAl mixed oxides as catalysts for hydrogen production by ... 
    F.V. Melo, N. Morlanés 
    CATALYSIS TODAY 133-135 383-393, (2008)

Education

  • 1999   B.Sc. & M.Sc. Chemical Engineering, Cum Laude, University of València (Spain)
  • 2007   Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Cum Laude, Institute of Chemical Technology_ITQ, University Polytechnology of València (Spain)

Professional Profile

  • Current position: Post-Doctoral Fellow in Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KSA). Design of heterogeneous molecular-based catalysts using first row transition metals for Water Oxidation Reaction. Since June 2013.
  • Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University. Illinois (USA). Single-site reduction catalysts for improved performance and understanding of cooperative mechanisms in hydrotreating catalysts. Funding by: Ministry of Science, Mobility program for human resources_Competitive Call. From 1/03/2009 to 28/02/2011.
  • Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Institute of Chemical Technology_ITQ, Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Design and Scale-up of diesel fuel processor to generate hydrogen for a 2-5 kW PEM fuel cell. Funding by: Hynergreen, private company (Abengoa) From 01/08/2006 to 28/02/2009
  • Specialization Fellow, Institute of Chemical Technology_ITQ, Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Development of new catalysts for the acetic acid synthesis process. Funding by: Universitat Politècnica de València. From 1/02/2006 to 31/07/2006
  • Doctoral Student, Institute of Chemical Technology_ITQ, Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Hydrogen production by naphtha steam reforming process over nickel based catalysts.  Funding by: Ministry of Science, Predoctoral Scholarship (I3P-BPD2001-1) Competitive Call. From 1/02/2002 to 31/01/2006.
  • Specialization Fellow, Institute of Chemical Technology_ITQ, Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Methane steam reforming over SOFC anode materials. Funding by: NTDA Energy Private Company. From 1/02/2003 to 31/01/2004 
  • Predoctoral Researcher, Institute of Chemical Technology_ITQ, Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Development of catalysts for hydrodesulfurization process. Funding by: Generalitat Valenciana (CTIDIB/2002/20)_Competitive call. From 01/01/2001 to 31/01/2002   
  • Graduate Researcher, Institute of Technology (Technologic Park of Valencia- Universitat de València). Study of Supercritical Fluid Liquid-Solid Extraction process. Funding: Ministry of Education, Mobility of Investigators and Technologists_Competitive call. October 1999- June 2000
  • Undergraduate Researcher, Department of Chemical Engineering (Universitat de València). Study of physical-chemical properties of the oxygen-based additives for fuels. Funding: Ministry of Education, Professional formation program_Competitive call. Oct. 1998-June 1999

KAUST Affiliations

  • ​Kaust Catalysis Center (KCC)

  • Division of Physical Science and Engineering (PSE)

Research Interests Keywords

Organometallics Photochemistry Electrochemistry Heterogeneous catalysis Surface characterization Water Oxidation CO2 reduction