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Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Faculty and Staff

Salai C. Ammal

Title: Research Associate Professor
Department: Chemical Engineering
Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing
Email: ammal@cec.sc.edu
Website: Heyden Research Group
Phone: 803-777-9631
Fax: 803-777-8265
Office: Swearingen Engineering Center
Room 2C18
301 Main Street
Columbia, SC  29208
Research Professor Salai Ammal

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 Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6(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 Ptn/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

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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