Zhenjuan Ni

**** *. **** **** **** Apt *** ( Chicago, IL 60615 312-***-**** (

abyycn@r.postjobfree.com

SKILLS

Catalyst Chemistry and Engineering: nano-scale heterogeneous catalyst

synthesis; characterization and surface engineering; Schlenk line

apparatus; glove box operations; high-pressure batch reactor; scale up;

micro-kinetic modeling of reaction process; Aspen plus

Analytical Techniques: UV-Vis, GC-MS/GC-FID, fluorescence spectroscopy,

XRD, TEM, SEM, AFM, NMR, APS

Data Analysis and programming: proficient in Fortran programming for

linear/non-linear problems; graduate-level knowledge of probability and

statistics; familiar with statistic software R and SAS; MS word, Excel,

PowerPoint, OriginLab, ChemDraw, Material Studio Modeling, AutoCAD

Collaborative & Managerial: maintenance and trouble-shooting on the PSSC-

Lab super computers in lab; collaboration with external research groups on

multi-disciplinary projects; supervised undergraduate and high-school

students on scientific projects

Language: English (fluent), Mandarin (fluent)

EDUCATION

University of Illinois at Chicago - Chicago, IL

Expected in Oct. 2013

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, emphasis in catalysis Advisor:

Randall Meyer

Nankai University - Tianjin,China

2004-2008

B.S. in Chemistry

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Guest Researcher, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

. Hydrodenitrogenation of 2-methylaniline by Ta heterogeneous catalysts

Sep. 2012-present

. Synthesize Ta catalyst with various supports (alumina, silica,

titania, ceria) as a milder and more selective removal of atomic N

than traditional hydrodenitrogenation catalysts, by adding

Ta(acac)(OEt)4 toluene solution to the supports, stirring for 24 h at

room temperature in glove box followed by calcined at 500 C in

thermal furnace.

. Characterize the catalyst surface structure by solid DRUV-vis, XRD,

TEM to demonstrateprove Ta attached the supports as single site to

successfully cleave the C-N bond.

. Purify reaction solvents (tetradecane) by distilling under reduced

pressure at temperature ~80 C to remove residual water by using

Schlenk line apparatus.

. Investigate the reaction mechanism during hydrodenitrogenation of

quinoline by varying H2 pressure and reagents in high temperature (275

C) high pressure (20 bar) batch reactor; identify the prod ucts by HP

6890 GC-MS and quantify by HP 6890 GC-FID to confirm a high

containment of aromatic products. (in progress)

. Investigate structures of single-site Ta on alumina surfaces to

predict the reaction intermediates by performing quantum chemical

calculations based on density functional theory using the Vienna Ab-

initio Simulation Package (VASP) to better interpret experiment

results.

Advanced Photon Source (APS) User, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL

. Selective hydrogenation of acrolein over supported silver and silver

alloy catalysts 2010-2012

. Characterized Ag/Ag-In catalysts for selective hydrogenation of

acrolein using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES/EXAFS) in APS

(advanced photon source facility)

Research Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

. Fundamental study of the role of surface oxide in NOx storage reduction

catalysts Jun. 2011-present

. Designed and constructed the UHV (10-9 Pa) chamber with mass

spectrometer from Extrel Corporation for temperature programmed

desorption (TPD) experiment for NO chemical behavior on palladium

crystal surface.

. Applied ab initio thermodynamic approach to predict most stable

surface structure under specific thermodynamic (P,T) conditions to

construct a phase-diagram of palladium surfaces for a wide range of H2

and O2 partial pressures.

. Predicted reaction barriers and paths to understand the mechanism of

palladium surface oxide decomposition with hydrogen pressure

increasing by DFT modeling.

. Developing a unique kinetic Monte Carlo code (Fortran/python) for

micro-kinetic modeling of NO oxidation and H2O formation on palladium

surface to explore surface oxide formation and decomposition. (in

progress)

. Manganese Triazacyclononane Oxidation Catalysts Grafted Under Reaction

Conditions on Solid Co-Catalytic Supports

Jan.2010-Dec. 2010

. Successfully predicted structures of grafted organometallics attached

to silica surfaces and the reaction intermediates by DFT modeling to

further understand the role of Manganese Triazacyclononane in

oxidation catalysis process.

Research Assistant, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

. Synthesis of anthraquinone modified cyclodextrin and its interaction

with DNA Sep. 2006 - Jun. 2008

. Synthesized anthraquinone modified cyclodextrin and its

polypseudorotaxane followed by a series of characterization such as

NMR and MS; explored the unique interaction of polyseudorotaxane of

anthraquinone with DNA by UV-vis, AFM.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Teaching Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

Aug. 2009 - May 2011

. General Chemistry (weekly lab in the classroom, lecture and discussion)

2009 Fall, 2010 Spring

. Thermodynamics II (weekly discussion and part time lecture)

2010 Fall

. Reaction Engineering (weekly discussion and part time lecture)

2011 Spring

. Chemical Process (weekly discussion and part time lecture)

2011 Spring

PUBLICATIONS

. Z. Ni, J. Jelic, P. Aich, M. Hoffmann, K. Reuter, R. J. Meyer. "NO

oxidation on Pd(100) vs. PdO(?5 ?5)R27 : First-Principles Kinetic Monte

Carlo Study." manuscript in preparation

. Z. Ni, R. J. Meyer. "Water formation on (?5 ?5)R27 PdO(101)-Pd(100)

surface." manuscript in preparation

. Z. Ni, R. J. Meyer. "H2 oxidation at Pd(100): A first-principles

constrained thermodynamics study." manuscript in preparation

. A. J. Schoenfelt, Z. Ni, A. W. Korinda, R. J. Meyer, J. M. Notestein.

"Manganese Triazacyclononane Oxidation Catalysts Grafted Under Reaction

Conditions on Solid Co-Catalytic Supports." J. Am. Chem. Soc, 133 (2011)

186**-*****

CONFERENCE PRESENTATION

. Z. Ni, P. Aich, M. Hoffmann, K. Reuter, R. Meyer, "The Role of Surface

Oxides in NOx Storage Reduction Catalysts: A DFT and kMC study" Oral

presentation, 23rd NAM (23rd North American Catalysis Society Meeting),

Louisville, KY, USA, June 2nd - 7th, 2013

. Z. Ni, P. Aich, M. Hoffmann, K. Reuter, R. Meyer, "The Role of Surface

Oxides in NOx Storage Reduction Catalysts: A DFT and kMC study" Poster

presentation, Chicago Catalysis Club 2013 Spring Symposium, Naperville,

IL, USA, May 7th, 2013

. Z. Ni, R. Meyer, "H2 oxidation at Pd(100): A first-principles constrained

thermodynamics study" Poster presentation, AIChE 5th Annual Midwest

Regional Conference, Chicago, IL, USA, Jan. 31th - Feb. 1st, 2013

AWARDS

. Kokes Presenter Award of 23rd North American Catalysis Society Meeting

2013

. The Outstanding Student Awards of Nankai University

2008

. The First-Class Scholarship of Nankai University

2007

. The First-Class Scholarship of Nankai University

2006

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