Search DCU website

Enter search keywords

• Home
• Explore DCU
  • President's Welcome
  • Vacancies
  • About Us
  • Conferences at DCU
  • Sport
  • Learning Innovation Unit
  • Accommodation
  • DCU Educational Trust
  • Restaurants
  • DCU in the Community
  • Administrative Offices
  • DisabledGo Campus Access Guide
• Study At DCU
  • DCU Access Service
  • Faculties and Schools
  • Scholarships
  • Degree Programmes
  • Student Life
  • Employment Internships (Intra)
  • Linked Colleges
  • Admissions
• Research At DCU
  • Research Homepage
  • Knowledge Transfer at DCU Invent
  • Graduate Research
  • Research Support Services
  • Research Centres

Odilla Finlayson
B.Sc., Ph.D. (NUI), M.I.C.I., M.R.S.C., C.Chem.
Lecturer, Physical Chemistry

Name: Dr Odilla Finlayson
Phone Number: 5409
Room Number: X104
Email Address:

 

Heterogeneous Catalysis

Our research programme is focused on the evaluation and characterisation of heterogeneous catalyst systems. In particular, we are involved in the development of support materials for noble metal combustion catalysts used in a variety of applications from energy production (e.g. catalytic gas turbines, catalytic heaters) to exhaust gas clean-up (automotive catalysts).

Our interest extends to modifying the surface properties of supported catalysts by addition of non-noble metal salts and using these surfaces to find environmentally friendly solutions to elimination of VOC waste emissions.

Currently, our main focus is on the use of modified - zirconia materials as support systems in an attempt to improve light-off characteristics for hydrocarbon combustion at low temperatures. In addition, we are studying the benefits of CeO₂ additives in such systems and enhancements in the oxygen storage capacity of mixed ceria-zirconia oxides. A third area of interest is the “superacidic” properties of doped-zirconia materials such as SO₄^2-/ZrO₂ (see Figure) and their ability to activate hydrocarbons for a variety of reactions. This work is in collaboration with Dr Michael Tiernan of Intel, Ireland, and is part funded from industrial sources.

As well as using a number of flow and batch reactors for catalyst testing, typical catalyst characterisation procedures employed include Temperature Programmed Reduction, H₂ Chemisorption, Surface Area and Particle Size Analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, we work in collaboration with Prof. P. A. Barnes from the Centre for Applied Catalysis at the University of Huddersfield on the use of Advanced Thermal Analysis – Evolved Gas Analysis techniques for the characterisation of catalysts and related materials.

Recent Publications

1. Effects of CeO2 on the combustion activity and surface properties of Pt/Al2O3 catalysts", Tiernan, M. J. and Finlayson, O. E., Appl. Catal. B, 19, (1998) 23.
2. "High Temperature Stability of Alumina Fibre", Curley, J.W., Dreelan, O.E., Finlayson, O.E., Catalysis Today, 10 (1991) 401.
3. "The fibre drop analyser: a new multianalyses analytical instrument with applications in sugar processing and for the analysis of pure liquids", McMillan, N.D., Finlayson, O.E., Fortune, F., Fingleton, M., Daly, D., Townsend, D., McMillan, D.D.G., Dalton, M.J., Meas. Sci. Technol., 3 (1992) 746
4. "Combustion of propane by ceria-zirconia and manganese-zirconia mixed oxides", Feeley, M., Tiernan, M. J. and Finlayson. O. E., TMR Summer School on Green Chemistry, Venice, Sept 4-10, 2000.