Professor Dame Pratibha Gai, FRS, FREng
Tel: 01904 328403
Email: pratibha.gai@york.ac.uk
Catalysis, Nanomaterials, Dynamic In-situ Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy Developments for visualising and analysing gas molecule-catalyst reactions at the single atom level
Our current research programmes are in the following areas:
- Heterogeneous Catalysis
- Development of novel aberration corrected in-situ environmental (scanning) transmission electron microscope instrumentation to visualise and analyse single atom interactions in gas molecule-solid catalyst surface processes in real-time
- Novel nanocatalysts for fuel cells; hydrogenation, transportation and pollution control
- Novel nanocatalysts and fundamental understanding of dynamic atomic processes in Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalysis in energy production
- Nanomaterials and atomic scale Interface transitions in catalytic redox reactions
- Economical heterogeneous routes for medicines
Collaborators (including on in-situ studies): Professor E D Boyes, Drs. K Yoshida, A La Grow, M R Ward, D C Lloyd and UK Chemical and Healthcare Industries.
Left: JEOL 2200 FS E(S)TEM with dual aberration correctors at the York JEOL Nanocentre, University of York.
Right: Atomic resolution-ESTEM of reacting platinum on carbon nanocatalyst, important in fuel cells, clearly revealing Pt single atoms and clusters of Pt atoms (e.g. indicated at the top and bottom, respectively). References: P L Gai and E D Boyes, In-situ E(S)TEM development: Microsc. Res. Tech.,2009, 73, 153; J. Phys, (IOP) 2010, 241, 012055; Acct. Chem Res. 53, 390, 2020.
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Highlights
Pratibha Gai, FREng, FRS, is Professor and Chair of Electron Microscopy and Founding Co-Director of the York JEOL Nanocentre. She Joined York from the USA and prior to that she was at University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.
Distinctions and highlights
- Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng).
- Appointed a Dame in the UK National Honours for services to chemical sciences and technology.
- L’Oréal-UNESCO International Women in Science Award as the 2013 Laureate for Europe.
- Awards include, Institute of Physics Gabor Prize; ACS-PRF(SE) award
- She is a Fellow of: Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Physics, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and Microscopy Society of America.
- She has been awarded Honorary Fellowships of the Royal Microscopical Society and Girton College, University of Cambridge.
- Organiser and Chair of international conferences, including on Dynamic in-situ microscopy at the Royal Society (2019) and editorial board member of journals.
Many heterogeneous chemical reactions of gases catalysed over solid surfaces at elevated temperatures play a critical role in addressing major challenges in society and the reactions take place at the atomic level. She co invented analytical in-situ atomic resolution environmental (scanning) TEM E(S)TEM instrumentation with E.D. Boyes, to visualise and analyse, in real time, the dynamic chemical reactions at atomic resolution under controlled reaction environments (Boyes and Gai, Ultramicroscopy 67, 219, 1997; Gai et al: Science, 267, 661; Gai and Boyes, Microsc Res.Tech, 72, 153, 2009 and J. Physics. 241, 010255, 2010). The in-situ data are key to understanding and developing improved chemical processes. She also developed high resolution liquid sample holder to directly probe dynamic gas-liquid-solid reactions to produce polymers and healthcare products (Gai, Micr.Microanal.8,21; Gai et al: Catal Lett. 102, 1). The in-situ atomic resolution-ETEM developed by Boyes and Gai is used commercially and by researchers worldwide. Her several hundred publications and patents include, in-situ EM of catalysts for developing (bio) energy sources, healthcare, environmental protection. transportation, food and pigment nanocoatings, functional ceramics and high Tc superconductors.
Her recent Publications with co-workers include the following
- Boyes, E. D.; Ward, M. R.; Lari, L.; Gai, P. L. Phys. (Berlin, Ger.) 525, 423. 2013.
- Gai, P. L.; Lari, L.; Ward, M. R.; Boyes, E. D. Phys. Lett. 592, 355, 2014.
- Gai P L with Boyes, E. D.; R. Phys. 15, 200.2014.
- Gai, P. L.; Yoshida, K.; Ward, M. R.; Walsh, M.; van de Water, L.; Baker, R. T.; Watson,
J.; Boyes, E. D. Catal. Sci. Technol. (RSC), 6, 2214, 2016.
- LaGrow, A. P.; Ward, M.;Lloyd, D.; Gai, P. L.; Boyes, E. D. J. Am. Chem. Soc.139, 179. 2017.
- LaGrow, A.P.; Lloyd, D.C.; Gai, P.L.; Boyes, E.D. Chem.Materials, 30, 197, 2018.
- Mitchell, R.W.; Lloyd, D.C.; van de Water, L.G. A.; Ellis, P.R.; Metcalfe, K.A.; Sibbald, C.; Davies, L.H.; Enache, D.I.; Kelly, G.J.; Boyes, E.D.; Gai, P.L. ACS Catal. 8, 8816.2018.
- LaGrow, A.P.; Lloyd, D.C.; Schebarchov, D., Gai. P.L.; Boyes, E.D. J.Phys.Chem.C. 123, 14746, 2019.
- Martin T E, Mitchell R W, Boyes E D and Gai P L: Phil.Trans. Roy. Soc. A378, 2020.
- Gai P L. et al : Phil Trans Roy Soc. A378, 2020.
- Boyes E D, LaGrow AP, Ward M R, Martin, T E , Gai P L : Phil Trans Roy Soc. A378, 2020
- Walsh M, Yoshida K, Kuwabara A, Gai P L., Boyes E D: Nanoletters: 12, 2027, 2012.
- Lopez Haro, M. Yoshida K, Calvino J J. Boyes E D and Gai P,L. et al: ACS Nano,6, p.6811
- Boyes E D, LaGrow A P, Ward, M R, Mitchell R W and Gai P L Acct. Chem Res. 53, 390, 2020.
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