Dr Simon Beaumont

Associate Professor

Affiliations
Affiliation	Telephone
Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry	+44 (0) 191 33 42598

Biography

2003 – 2007 BA & MSci Natural Sciences University of Cambridge, Trinity Hall

2007 – 2010 PhD, under the supervision of Prof. R.M. Lambert, University of Cambridge

[The focus of this work was in the heterogeneous catalysis of synthetic transformations (such as enantioselective hydrogenation and C-C coupling) – of relevance to process chemists for fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.]

2010 – 2012 PDRA, Gabor Somorjai, University of California, Berkeley

[The focus of this work was on the use of colloidally prepared nanoparticles as model catalysts for understanding heterogeneously catalyzed bulk chemical transformations, such as Fischer-Trospch, hydrocarbon hydrogenation, and CO2 hydrogenation. This work included extensive use of the Advanced Light Source synchrotron facility for a range of in situ X-ray spectroscopies.]

2012 – 2012 Compact GTL Ltd. Knowledge Transfer Scholarship

2012 – date Department of Chemistry, Durham University.

Initially appointed to prestigious Leverhulme Trust and Addison Wheeler fellowships, SKB established his own independent research programme supported by a mixture of national, EU and industry funding. He was appointed as a University Lecturer in 2015, and promoted to Associate Professor in 2021.

Research undertaken spans many aspects of heterogeneous catalysis, predominantly focused on exploitation of fundamental mechanistic understanding in the development of new, better (greener, more efficient, more selective) chemistry and catalytic processes. This is often achieved through adoption of nanomaterials as well defined catalyst models and using new in situ spectroscopic tools to probe catalytic materials under working conditions.

Current research topics include:

Fischer-Tropsch
Biomass to useful chemicals transformations (e.g., furfural hydrogenation)
Methane activation
Ethylene and Higher Olefin Epoxidation
In situ x-ray spectroscopy techniques
In situ DRIFTS (Diffuse Reflectance IR spectroscopy)
In situ Raman Techniques
Bimetallic structures
Diffusion processes in catalysis
Solid acid and base catalysis

Current vacancies

Current vacancies are advertised on the departmental website and either jobs.ac.uk for PDRA roles or findaPhD for funded studentships.

Informal enquiries about working with me in the area of hetereogeneous catalysis are also always welcome.

There are a number of schemes it may be possible to support very strong candidates in applying for, but these are very competitive, so please outline the scheme you believe you should apply for and why you meet the eligibility criteria when you contact me (and keep in mind there may be university selection processes in advance of the scheme deadline, so do make contact early on).

Teaching

SKB undertakes teaching in 1st year laboratory classes, 1st and 2nd year tutorial groups and 3rd and 4th year lectures and workshop classes. All specific details and support material can now be found within modules on the learn ultra site: Learn ULTRA

Selected Publications

Gyton, M. R.; Royle, C. G.; Beaumont, S. K.; Duckett, S. B.; Weller, A. S. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2023, 145, 2619–2629. 'Mechanistic Insights into Molecular Crystalline Organometallic Heterogeneous Catalysis through Parahydrogen-Based Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies' https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c12642
Ou, X.; Daly, H.; Fan, X.; Beaumont, S.; Chansai, S.; Garforth, A.; Xu, S.; Hardacre, C. ACS Catalysis 2022, 12, 7598-7608. 'High-Ionic-Strength Wastewater Treatment via Catalytic Wet Oxidation over a MnCeO_x Catalyst' https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.2c01952
Ou, X.; Daly, H.; Chansai, S.; Beaumont, S.; Fan, X.; Hardacre, C. Catalysis Communications 2022, 106395. 'Effect of concentrated NaCl on catalytic wet oxidation (CWO) of short chain carboxylic acids' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catcom.2021.106395
Taylor, M. J.; Beaumont, S. K.; Islam, M. J.; Tsatsos, S.; Parlett, C. A. M.; Issacs, M. A.; Kyriakou, G. Applied Catalysis, B: Environmental 2021, 284, 119737. 'Atom efficient PtCu bimetallic catalysts and ultra dilute alloys for the selective hydrogenation of furfural' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2020.119737
Song, Y.; Beaumont, S. K.; Zhang, X. G.; Wilson, K.; Lee, A. F. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry 2020, 22, 29-38. 'Catalytic applications of layered double hydroxides in biomass valorisation' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2019.11.005
MacIntosh, K. L.; Beaumont, S. K. Topics in Catalysis 2020, 63, 1446-1462. 'Nickel-Catalysed Vapour-Phase Hydrogenation of Furfural, Insights into Reactivity and Deactivation' https://doi.org/020-01341-9 10.1007/s11244-020-01341-9
Isaacs, M. A.; Parlett, C. M. A.; Robinson, N.; Durndell, L. J.; Manayil, J. C.; Beaumont, S. K.; Jiang, S.; Hondow, N. S.; Lamb, A. C.; Jampaiah, D.; Johns, M. L.; Wilson, K.; Lee, A. F. Nature Catalysis 2020, 3, 921-931. 'A spatially orthogonal hierarchically porous acid–base catalyst for cascade and antagonistic reactions' https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-020-00526-5
Cheah, K. W.; Taylor, M. J.; Osatiashtiani, A.; Beaumont, S. K.; Nowakowski, D. J.; Yusup, S.; Bridgwater, A. V.; Kyriakou, G. Catalysis Today 2020, 355, 882-892. 'Monometallic and bimetallic catalysts based on Pd, Cu and Ni for hydrogen transfer deoxygenation of a prototypical fatty acid to diesel range hydrocarbons' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2019.03.017
Bieber, V. S.; Ozcelik, E.; Cox, H. J.; Ottley, C. J.; Ratan, J. K.; Karaman, M.; Tabakci, M.; Beaumont, S. K.; Badyal, J. P. S. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12, 52136-52145. 'Capture and Release Recyclable Dimethylaminomethyl-Calixarene Functional Cloths for Point-of-Use Removal of Highly Toxic Chromium Water Pollutants' https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c14772
Beaumont, S. K. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2020, 22, 18747-18756. 'Soft XAS as an in situ technique for the study of heterogeneous catalysts' https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CP00657B
Kyriakou, G.; Márquez, A. M.; Holgado, J. P.; Taylor, M. J.; Wheatley, A. E. H.; Mehta, J. P.; Fraser, A. E.; Fernández Sanz, J.; Beaumont, S. K.; Lambert, R. M. ACS Catalysis 2019, 9, 4919-4929. 'Comprehensive Experimental and Theoretical Study of the CO + NO Reaction Catalyzed by Au/Ni Nanoparticles' https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.8b05154
Jiang, S.; Cox, H. J.; Papaioannou, E. I.; Tang, C.; Liu, H.; Murdoch, B. J.; Gibson, E. K.; Metcalfe, I. S.; Evans, J. S. O.; Beaumont, S. K. Nanoscale 2019, 11, 14929-14936. 'Shape-persistent porous organic cage supported palladium nanoparticles as heterogeneous catalytic materials' https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NR04553H
Wilson, M.; Kore, R.; Ritchie, A. W.; Fraser, R. C.; Beaumont, S. K.; Srivastava, R.; Badyal, J. P. S. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 2018, 545, 78-85. 'Palladium–poly(ionic liquid) membranes for permselective sonochemical flow catalysis' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.02.044
Locke, E.; Jiang, S.; Beaumont, S. K. Topics in Catalysis 2018, 61, 977-985. 'Catalysis of the Oxygen Evolution Reaction by 4–10 nm Cobalt Nanoparticles' https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-018-0923-4
Wilson, M.; Kore, R.; Fraser, R. C.; Beaumont, S. K.; Srivastava, R.; Badyal, J. P. S. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 2017, 520, 788-795. 'Recyclable palladium catalyst cloths for carbon-carbon coupling reactions' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2017.01.050
Wilson, M.; Cheng, C. Y. C.; Oswald, G.; Srivastava, R.; Beaumont, S. K.; Badyal, J. P. S. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 2017, 523, 27-37. 'Magnetic recyclable microcomposite silica-steel core with TiO2 nanocomposite shell photocatalysts for sustainable water purification' https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2017.03.034
Taylor, M. J.; Jiang, L.; Reichert, J.; Papageorgiou, A. C.; Beaumont, S. K.; Wilson, K.; Lee, A. F.; Barth, J. V.; Kyriakou, G. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2017, 121, 8490-8497. 'Catalytic hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation of furfural over Pt(111): A model system for the rational design and operation of practical biomass conversion catalysts' https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b01744
Kegerreis, J. A.; Eke, V. R.; Massey, R. J.; Beaumont, S. K.; Elphic, R. C.; Teodoro, L. F., Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 2017, 122, 2163-2181. 'Evidence for a Localized Source of the Argon in the Lunar Exosphere' https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JE005352
Orozco, N.; Kyriakou, G.; Beaumont, S. K.; Fernandez Sanz, J.; Holgado, J. P.; Taylor, M. J.; Espinos, J. P.; Márquez, A. M.; Watson, D. J.; Gonzalez-Elipe, A. R.; Lambert, R. ACS Catalysis 2017, 7, 3113-3120. 'Critical Role of Oxygen in Silver-Catalyzed Glaser-Hay Coupling on Ag(100) in Vacuum and in Solution on Ag Particles' https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.7b00431
Herbert, J. J.; Senecal, P.; Martin, D. J.; Bras, W.; Beaumont, S. K.; Beale, A. M. Catalysis Science and Technology 2016, 6, 5773-5791. 'X-ray spectroscopic and scattering methods applied to the characterisation of cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts'
Parlett, C. M. A.; Isaacs, M. A.; Beaumont, S. K.; Bingham, L. M.; Hondow, N. S.; Wilson, K.; Lee, A. F. Nature Materials 2016, 15, 178-182. 'Spatially orthogonal chemical functionalization of a hierarchical pore network for catalytic cascade reactions'
Beaumont, S.K.; Alayoglu, S.; Specht C.; Michalak, W.D.; Pushkarev, V.V.; Guo, J.; Kruse N. and Somorjai, G.A., Journal of the American Chemical Society 2014,136, 9898-9901. ‘Combining in situ NEXAFS spectroscopy and CO₂ methanation kinetics to study Pt and Co nanoparticle catalysts reveals key insights into the role of platinum in promoted cobalt catalysis’
Beaumont, S.K.; Alayoglu, S.; Specht C.; Kruse N. and Somorjai, G.A., Nano letters 2014, 14, 4792-4796. ‘A nanoscale demonstration of hydrogen atom spill-over and surface diffusion across silica using the kinetics of CO₂ methanation catalyzed on spatially separate Pt and Co nanoparticles’
Beaumont, S.K., Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2014, 16, 5034-5043. ‘Recent developments in the application of nanomaterials to understanding molecular level processes in cobalt catalysed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis’
Beaumont, S. K.; Alayoglu, S.; Pushkarev, V. V.; Liu, Z.; Kruse, N.; Somorjai, G. A., Faraday Discussions 2013, 162, 31-44. ‘Exploring surface science and restructuring in reactive atmospheres of colloidally prepared bimetallic CuNi and CuCo nanoparticles on SiO₂ in situ using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy’
Beaumont, S. K., Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology 2012, 87, 595-600. ‘Heterogeneously catalyzing C-C coupling reactions with precious metal nanoparticles’
Pushkarev, V. V.; An, K.; Alayoglu, S.; Beaumont, S. K.; Somorjai, G. A., Journal of Catalysis 2012, 292, 64-72. ‘Hydrogenation of benzene and toluene over size controlled Pt/SBA-15 catalysts: Elucidation of the Pt particle size effect on reaction kinetics’
Iablokov, V.; Beaumont, S. K.; Alayoglu, S.; Pushkarev, V. V.; Specht, C.; Gao, J.; Alivisatos, A. P.; Kruse, N.; Somorjai, G. A., Nano Letters 2012, 12, 3091-3096. ‘Size-Controlled Model Co Nanoparticle Catalysts for CO₂ Hydrogenation: Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Reactions’
Alayoglu, S.; Beaumont, S. K.; Zheng, F.; Pushkarev, V. V.; Zheng, H.; Iablokov, V.; Liu, Z.; Guo, J.; Kruse, N.; Somorjai, G. A., Topics in Catalysis 2011, 54, 778-785. ‘CO₂ Hydrogenation Studies on Co and CoPt Bimetallic Nanoparticles Under Reaction Conditions Using TEM, XPS and NEXAFS’
Beaumont, S. K.; Kyriakou, G.; Watson, D. J.; Vaughan, O. P. H.; Papageorgiou, A. C.; Lambert, R. M., Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2010, 114, 15075-15077. ‘Influence of Adsorption Geometry in the Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalytic Hydrogenation of a Prototypical Enone’
Beaumont, S. K.; Kyriakou, G.; Lambert, R. M., Journal of the American Chemical Society 2010, 132,12246-12248. ‘Identity of the Active Site in Gold Nanoparticle-Catalyzed Sonogashira Coupling of Phenylacetylene and Iodobenzene’

For a complete list of publications see google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=yZMthESjkjsC&hl=en&oi=ao

Warning

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