Since its emergence, microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool in chemistry and the life sciences. Microfluidic devices, consisting of networks of micron-scale flow channels, leverage high surface-area-to-volume ratios and precision fluid control to provide advantages over conventional methods in chemistry and biology. In chemistry, reactions with greater speed, selectivity, and safety can be achieved thanks to fast mixing and efficient heat transfer. In biology, greater control over mechanical and biochemical microenvironments allow cell culture studies with greater relevance to living organisms.

Catalysis forms the cornerstone of the chemical industry, with over 90% of the industrial-scale processes involving at least one catalytic step, mainly carried out using heterogeneous catalysts.

Since Fujishima and Honda first reported in 1972 the photoelectrochemical water splitting of water through TiO2 under UV light irradiation, photocatalysis has attracted a growing amount of research attention. Various types of materials with photocatalytic properties such as metal oxides, metal sulfides, polymers, MOFs etc have been reported for solar energy conversion, storage and utilization, through redution and/or oxidation reactions generating added value products including hydrogen, oxygen and hydrocarbons. Recently, metal halide perovskites(MHPs) have found tremendous popularity in solar to electricity conversion due to the high extinction coefficients, the wide absorption range and long electron−hole diffusion lengths of these materials. All of the mentioned MHP properties match well with the necessary conditions set forward for photocatalytic materials making them potentially interesting photocatalyst, a main concern is however related to their (chemical) stability under reaction conditions.

Correlated super-resolution fluorescence and electron microscopy reveals the catalytically active nanorods within individual H-ZSM-22 zeolite particles.

Research about Perovskites in the news: - Wat krijgen we nu op ons dak? Perovskiet! - Onderzoekers KU Leuven stabiliseren perovskieten, stap dichter bij efficiëntere zonnepanelen

Congratulations Hannelore Bové for receiving this years prize in Science Communication by the KVAB - Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België & Jonge Academie. Read more

An article on resolving the Framework Position of Organic Structure-Directing Agents in Hierarchical Zeolites via Polarized Stimulated Raman Scattering was published in ACS The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

Efficient and Selective Photocatalytic Oxidation of Benzylic Alcohols with Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskite MaterialsAbstractThe impressive optoelectronic performance and low production cost of

On the 1st of February, dr. Hannelore Bové won the prestigious 'Upcoming Scientist Award 2018' sponsered by Genmab at the Innovation for Health 2018 conference in Rotterdam (https://goo.gl/QKjiqm).

On February 2nd Mr. Thomas W. Ebbesen received an Honorary Doctorate from KU Leuven.  Professor Maarten Roeffaers and Johan Hofkens were his promotors. Read the complete intervieuw from KU Leuven