CV of Dr. Ammal [pdf]

Education

Ph.D., Bharathidasan University, India, 1998

M.S., Bharathidasan University, India, 1992

B.S., Madurai Kamaraj University, India, 1990

Research

Heterogeneous Catalysis at Metal-Oxide Interfaces: This research focuses on enhancing our molecular understanding of heterogeneous catalysis at the three-phase boundary of a gas-phase, a reducible-oxide surface, and a noble metal cluster. We aim at identifying the unique activity and selectivity of these bifunctional catalysts for various reactions relevant to energy conversion.

Electrocatalysis in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Combined DFT and microkinetic modeling techniques are used to investigate the reaction kinetics of the electrochemical oxidation of fuels under anodic reaction conditions. Both, conventional Ni/YSZ cermet and novel perovskite oxides are investigated. Fundamental understanding of elementary reaction steps and kinetics of electrochemical reactions will permit the design and discovery of novel materials that are more tolerant to sulfur and carbon poisoning.

Selected Publications

• "Water-Gas Shift Catalysis at Corner Atoms of Pt Clusters in Contact with a TiO₂ (110) Support Surface", Ammal, S. C., Heyden, A. ACS Catalysis 4, 3654 - 3662, 2014.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cs5009706
• "Theoretical Investigation of H₂ Oxidation on the Sr₂Fe_1.5Mo_0.5O₆(001) Perovskite Surface under Anodic Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Conditions", Suthirakun, S., Ammal, S. C., Munoz-Garcia, A. B., Xiao, G., Chen, F., zur Loye, H.-C., Carter, E. A., Heyden, A., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 8374 - 8386, 2014.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja502629j
• "Origin of the unique activity of Pt/TiO₂ catalysts for the water-gas shift reaction", Ammal, S. C., Heyden, A., J. Catal. 306, 78, 2013.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2013.06.014
• "Combined DFT and Microkinetic Modeling Study of Hydrogen Oxidation at the Ni/YSZ Anode of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells", Ammal, S. C., Heyden, A., J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 3, 2767, 2012.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jz301132b
• "Nature of Pt_n/TiO₂ (110) interface under Water-Gas Shift reaction conditions: A constrained ab initio thermodynamics study", Ammal, S. C., Heyden, A., J. Phys. Chem. C 115, 19246, 2011.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp2058723