Prof. Dr. Oliver Kröcher
Head Laboratory for Sustainable Energy Carriers and Processes
Paul Scherrer Institut
Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
Telephone
Email
Short CV
Professional Experiences
01/2014-03/2021 | Head of the Swiss Competence Centre for Energy Research in the field of Biomass (SCCER BIOSWEET). |
since 05/2013 | Adjunct professor at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne. |
since 05/2010 | Member of the board of directors of the Hydromethan AG, a spin-off company of the Paul Scherrer Institut. |
since 01/2010 | Head of the Laboratory for Sustainable Energy Carriers and Processes at the Paul Scherrer Institut. |
10/2001-09/2018 | Head of the Catalysis for Energy Group (prior name: Exhaust Gas Aftertreatment Group) at the Paul Scherrer Institut. |
05/2001-09/2001 | Head of the Catalytic Processes Group at Degussa AG, Feed Additives Division. |
08/1997-04/2001 | Research manager for catalytic processes at Degussa AG (Germany), Feed Additives Division. Working on: - Heterogeneous gas phase reactions (propene -> acrolein, ß-picoline -> 3-cyanopyridine, methanol -> methyl mercaptan). - Development, set-up and operation of process controlled laboratory apparatus and pilot plants. - Catalyst development, quality control of catalyst production, catalyst changes in production plants. - Development of process gas analysis systems. - Plant process development. |
02/1994-07/1997 | Assistant at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry of the ETH Zurich (Switzerland). Research mentor for diploma students. |
Education
02/1994-07/1997 | Ph.D. thesis under the supervision of Prof. Dr. A. Baiker at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry of the ETH Zurich (Switzerland): "Synthesis of Formic Acid Derivatives by Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide". Working on: - Heterogeneous (and homogeneous) hydrogenation reactions. - Sol-gel chemistry. - High pressure chemistry. - Multi phase reactions. - Supercritical fluids. Additional education in technical chemistry. |
02/1993-12/1993 | Thesis for diploma examination at the Institute for Organic Chemistry, University of Wurzburg (Germany). |
10/1988-01/1993 | Chemistry studies at the University of Wurzburg (Germany). |
Publications before PSI
- H. Redlingshöfer, O. Kröcher, W. Böck, K. Huthmacher, G. Emig, "Catalytic Wall Reactor as a Tool for Isothermal Investigations in the Heterogeneously Catalyzed Oxidation of Propene to Acrolein", Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2002, 41 (6), 1445 -1453.
- L. Schmid, O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Silica xerogels containing bidentate phosphine ruthenium complexes: textural properties and catalytic behaviour in the synthesis of N, N -dimethylformamide from carbon dioxide", Micropor. Mesopor. Mat. 2000, 35-36, 181-193.
- O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Silica hybrid gel catalysts containing ruthenium complexes: influence of reaction parameters on the catalytic behaviour in the synthesis of N, N -dimethylformamide from carbon dioxide", J. Mol. Catal. 1999, 140, 185-193.
- O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Silica Hybrid Gels Containing Group(VIII) Transition Metal Complexes: Preparation, Structural, and Catalytic Properties in the Synthesis of N, N -Dimethylformamide and Methyl Formate from Supercritical Carbon Dioxide.", J. Catal. 1998, 178, 284-298.
- O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Novel Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Synthesis of Formic Acid Derivatives from CO2", Chimia 1997, 51 (1-2), 48-51.
- O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Highly active ruthenium complexes with bidentate phosphine ligands for the solvent-free catalytic synthesis of N, N -dimethylformamide and methyl formate", Chem. Commun. 1997, 453-454.
- O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Sol-gel derived hybrid materials as heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of N, N -dimethylformamide from supercritical carbon dioxide", Chem. Commun. 1996, 1497-1498.
- O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, A. Baiker, "Synthesis of N, N -Dimethylformamide by Heterogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide", High Pressure Chemical Engineering, P. R. von Rohr, C. Trepp (Eds.), Process Technology Proceedings 12, Elsevier: Amsterdam, 1996; pp. 91-96.
- A. Baiker, O. Kröcher, R. A. Köppel, "Verfahren zur Synthese von Ameisensäure und ihren Derivaten", Swiss patent application No. 3103/96, 12/18/1996.
- G. Bringmann, T. Hartung, O. Kröcher, K.-P. Gulden, J. Lange, H. Burzlaff, "Synthesis and Absolute Stereostructure of Dinaphth[2,1-c:1',2'-e]oxepin-3-(5H)-one", Tetrahedron 1994, 50 (9), 2831-2840.
Awards
Year | Award |
---|---|
2005 | Swiss Technology Award 2005 |
2005 | Special Environmental Prize 2005 (Price of the ABB Schweiz AG for the most innovative system to reduce CO2 emissions) |
Other Functions
Institution / Function | Period |
Frontiers in Fuels Extended Energy Commission of the Swiss Academies of Sciences a+ |
since 2022
since 2018 |
European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) on Bioenergy Steering Committee, Member |
since 2010 |
PSI spin-off Hydromethan AG Member of the Board of Directors |
since 2010 |
Dechema (German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology) Member |
since 1998 |