The project was a Competitive Internal Research Award (CIRA) funded by the Khalifa University (United Arab Emirates).

(INN budget: 250,360 AED)

The project objectives were: i) To develop novel synthetic routes to synthesize highly faceted silica encapsulated nanocatalysts, ii) to optimize the synthesis of the nanocatalysts, by implementing pioneering Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Nano-crystallography methods, and iii) To investigate their potency in hydrodesulphurization of Sulfur Gaseous Species (SO₂, COS, CS₂) as model reactions.

The ssNMR group participated in this project as an external collaborator and was responsible for the development and implementation of pioneering Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Nano-crystallography methods to acquire the facet crystal structure and electronic properties of ultra-fine transition metal phosphide nanoparticles, encapsulated into Si-matrix, aiming to control morphology, crystal structure and electronic properties for optimizing catalytic activity (facets nanoengineering).