Yanisha Manoharan

Background

• Since April 1, 2019: PhD Student in the Surface Chemistry Group in the Laboratory for Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland
• 2017 – 2019: Master in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, University Bern, Switzerland. Master thesis at the Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, thesis title: “Scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of a thioacetate-functionalized aromatic molecule on metal substrates”. Investigation of the self-assembly and different phase formation of a thioacetate-functionalized aromatic molecule on the metal substrates Au(111), Cu(111) and Ag(111) under UHV conditions, with the aim of resolving thermally activated structural and chemical changes and intermolecular bonds formed.
• 2014 – 2017: Bachelor in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, University Bern, Switzerland, thesis title: “Modification of Mesoionic PYA Ruthenium Complexes for Enhanced Catalytic Activity in Transfer Hydrogenation”. Synthesis and characterization of mesoionic PYA ruthenium complexes, investigation of their catalytic application in transfer hydrogenation of benzophenone.

Research Activities

• Photolysis and acid-base chemistry of nitrogen oxides at the air-ice interface
• Interaction of nitrogen species with water molecules at the interface, impact on chemical yields and products
• Kinetic experiments, methods: flow tube experiments, XPS, NEXAFS