Agustín Martínez Feliu

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Address: Instituto de Tecnología Química (ITQ)
Avenida de los Naranjos s/n
46022 Valencia, Spain

E-mail: amart@itq.upv.es
Phone: (+34) 963 877 808
ORCID: 0000-0002-9974-1567
Researcher ID: D-2644-2012

Agustín Martínez was born in Alzira (Valencia, Spain) in 1961 and received the degree in Chemistry at the University of Valencia in 1984. His Ph.D. studies were performed at the Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica (ICP-CSIC) in Madrid under the guidance of Prof. Avelino Corma in the subject of zeolite catalysts for catalytic cracking. He received the Ph.D. degree in 1990. During the period of 1988-1990 he was working at the R&D Centre of the refining company CEPSA in Madrid. In 1991, he got a permanent position at the ITQ and in 2009 was promoted to full Research Professor at CSIC.

His researches mainly dealt with the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalysts for producing fine chemicals, petrochemicals, and clean fuels. Currently, his research interests are mostly focused on developing and gaining fundamental understanding on catalysts for the valorization of C1 molecules, including the direct conversion of natural gas (methane), synthesis gas (Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, DME synthesis, C2+ oxygenates), and CO2 to value-added chemicals and synthetic fuels.

Agustín Martínez has led several national and UE projects and has participated in different R&D contracts with major chemical-refining companies, among which Repsol (Spain), Eni (Italy), IFP (France), Rhodia (France), Conoco-Philips (USA), Lurgi (Germany), Petrobras (Brasil), Abengoa Biotechnology (Spain), Novargi (Spain), and Sener (Spain) are worth to be mentioned. He is co-author of about 120 articles published in peer-reviewed international scientific journals and more than 10 chapters in scientific books and encyclopedias. His publications have received near 9.000 citations, with an h-index of 51 (Scopus source). He is also co-inventor of 12 issued patents and presented more than 120 contributions in national and international congresses and meetings, including several Plenary Lectures and Keynotes.

Currently, he is member of the Catalysis Committee of the International Zeolite Association (IZA) and is one of the two delegates of the Spanish Catalysis Society in the International Association of Catalysis Societies (IACS).

In 2000, Agustín Martínez was awarded the National CSIC-Volkswagen Prize for Young Researchers (under 40) by his outstanding contributions in the field of environmentally friendly transportation fuels.

 

List of 15 most relevant scientific contributions (from newest to oldest)

  1. S. Escorihuela, F. Toldra-Raig, S. Escolástico, R. Murciano, A. Martínez, J.M. Serra, Copper Surface-alloying of H2-permeable Pd-based membrane for integration in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactors, Journal of Membrane Science 619 (2021) 118516.
  2. F. Bertella, C.W. Lopes, A.C. Foucher, G. Agostini, P. Concepción, E.A. Stach, A. Martínez, Insights into the promotion with Ru of Co/TiO2 Fischer-Tropsch catalysts: An in situ spectroscopic study, ACS Catalysis 10 (2020) 6042-6057.
  3. S. Mohammadnasabomran, A. Tavsoli, Y. Zamani, C. Márquez-Álvarez, J. Pérez-Pariente, A. Martínez, Influence of amines in the synthesis of mesotructured aluminas and assessment as supports for Co-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts, Fuel Processing Technology 205 (2020) 106433.
  4. M. Shamzhy, M. Opanasenko, P. Concepción, A. Martínez, New trends in tailoring active sites in zeolite-based catalysts, Chemical Society Reviews 40 (2019) 1095-1149.
  5. G.M. Cabello González, R. Murciano, A.L. Villanueva Perales, A. Martínez, F. Vidal-Barrero, M. Campoy, Ethanol conversion into 1,3-butadiene over a mixed Hf-Zn catalyst. Effect of reaction conditions and wáter content in ethanol, Fuel Processing Technology 193 (2019) 263-272.
  6. S. Moussa, P. Concepción, M.A. Arribas, A. Martínez, Nature of Active Nickel Sites and Initiation Mechanism for Ethylene Oligomerization on Heterogeneous Ni-beta Catalysts, ACS Catalysis 8 (2018) 3903-3912.
  7. S.H. Morejudo, R. Zanón, S. Escolástico, I. Yuste-Tirados, H. Malerød-Fjeld, P.K. Vestre, W.G. Coors, A. Martínez, T. Norby, J.M. Serra, C. Kjølseth, Direct conversion of methane to aromatics in a catalytic co-ionic membrane reactor, Science 353 (2016) 563-566.
  8. S. Moussa, M.A. Arribas, P. Concepción, A. Martínez, Heterogeneous oligomerization of ethylene to liquids on bifunctional Ni-based catalysts: The influence of support properties on nickel speciation and catalytic performance, Catalysis Today 277 (2016) 78-88.
  9. A. Martínez, M.A. Arribas, S.B.C. Pergher, Bifunctional noble metal/zeolite catalysts for upgrading low-quality diesel fractions via selective opening of naphthenic rings, Catalysis Science and Technology 6 (2016) 2528-2542.
  10. G. Prieto, M.I.S. De Mello, P. Concepción, R. Murciano, S.B.C. Pergher, A. Martínez, Cobalt-catalyzed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: Chemical nature of the oxide support as a performance descriptor, ACS Catalysis 5 (2015) 3323-3335.
  11. A. García-Trenco, A. Martínez, Direct synthesis of DME from syngas on hybrid CuZnAl/ZSM-5 catalysts: New insights into the role of zeolite acidity, Applied Catalysis A: General 411 (2012) 170-179.
  12. G. Prieto, A. Martínez, P. Concepción, R. Moreno-Tost, Cobalt particle size effects in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: Structural and in situ spectroscopic characterization on reverse micellar-synthesized Co/ITQ-2 model catalysts, Journal of Catalysis 266 (2009) 129-144.
  13. A. Martínez, C. López, F. Márquez, I. Díaz, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis of Hydrocarbons over Mesoporous Co/SBA-15 Catalysts: The Influence of Metal Loading, Cobalt Precursor, and Promoters, Journal of Catalysis 220 (2003) 486-499.
  14. A. Corma, A. Martínez, V. Martínez-Soria, J.B. Montón, Hydrocracking of Vacuum Gas-Oil on the Novel Mesoporous MCM-41 Aluminosilicate Catalyst, Journal of Catalysis 153 (1995) 25-31.
  15. A. Corma, A. Martínez, Chemistry, Catalysts and Processes for Isoparaffin-Olefin Alkylation: Actual Situation and Future Trends, Catalysis Reviews – Science & Engineering 35 (1993) 483-570.

 

Competitive R&D Projects (last 10 years)

National

2019-2022. Conversión directa de CO2 en portadores de energía química utilizando reactores electrocatalíticos de membrana. CICYT (TRI2018-102161-B-I00).

2015-2018. Almacenamiento de energía vía reducción de CO2 a combustibles y productos químicos. CICYT (ENE2014-57651-R).

2011-2013. Catalizadores avanzados para la conversión de gas de síntesis en combustibles. CICYT (CTQ2010-17988).

 

International

2021-2025. Project CO2SMOS (European Union). Advanced chemicals production from biogenic CO2 emissions for circular bio-based industries.

2019-2022. Project eCOCO2 (European Union). Direct electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into chemical energy carriers in a co-ionic membrane reactor.

2014-2017. Project ELECTRA (European Union). High temperature electrolyser with novel proton ceramic tubular modules of superior efficiency, robustness, and lifetime economy.

2009-2014. Project OCMOL (European Union). Oxidative coupling of methane followed by oligomerization to liquids.

Martínez Sánchez, Cristina

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Cristina Martínez Sánchez was born in Enschede (The Netherlands) in 1967. In 1991 she obtained her bachelor in chemistry at the University of Valencia and her PhD in 1997 at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. In 2002 she joined the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ) as Specialized Research Technician of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and she promoted to Tenured Scientist in 2006.

Her principal research topics are focused on heterogeneous catalysis applied to refining and petrochemistry processes (catalytic cracking, hydrotreatment, aromatic alkylation and transalkylation, aliphatic alkylation) and to methane upgrading processes (methanol and dimethylether carbonylation, methane dehydroaromatization). She has co-authored 27 publications and 9 patents, 4 of them licensed to industrial partners, and has participated in research projects with national and international industries in the area.

She has co-directed 2 PhD thesis and several Final Degree Projects. She teaches the “Catalytic reactors design and laboratory analytical techniques” matter included in the Sustainable Chemistry Master of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia.

Martínez Triguero, Joaquín

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Joaquín Martínez was born in Cuenca in 1966. Industrial Engineer specialist in Chemical Industries by the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-UPV (1984-1991). He was a fellowship at the Mechanical Engineering and Materials department of the UPV (1992-1995) and obtained his Industrial Engineer PhD at UPV (2003). From 1995 to 2004 he joined the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ) as Specialized Research Technician of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and he promoted to Tenured Scientist in 2004.

His main research lines are: Refining and petrochemical catalysts and processes. Catalysts post-synthesis modifications. Catalytic processes with acid/base bifunctional catalysts. Pollutant elimination catalytic processes.

Member of the Spanish Society of Catalysis and of the Spanish Group of Zeolites.

Rey, Fernando

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Professor Fernando Rey (1963) received the degree in chemistry at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1986). Their Ph.D. studies were performed at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ) under supervision of Prof. Vicente Fornés obtaining his Ph.D Degree in 1992. The area of research of his Ph. D. Thesis was synthesis, characterization and catalytic applications of hydrotalcites. Subsequently, he joined the group of Prof. John M. Thomas from 1993 to 1995 at the Royal Institution of Great Britain as Post Doctoral fellow. During his Post doctoral stay, his research was focused on the development of new ‘in-situ’ characterization tools based on the employ of synchrotron radiation for the understanding behavior of micro- and mesoporous catalysts. He returned to the ITQ in 1995 and one year later he obtained a permanent position at that Institute. He was promoted to Research Professor of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in 2007. His current area of research is focused in the synthesis and deep characterization of micro and mesoporous materials with application in catalysis and adsorption. He is co-author of more than 155 papers in high impact Scientific Journals and numerous presentations in congresses, and currently his ‘h-index’ is 57. Also, he is co-inventor in more than 40 patents related to the synthesis of new porous materials and their application in different industrial processes. Some of these patents have been licensed to industries. In 2011, he was recipient of the 1st Award of ‘La Vanguardia de la Ciencia’ that recognized the best Spanish research scientific publication in 2010.

Moliner, Manuel

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Manuel Moliner was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1979. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Valencia in 2003, and completed his Ph.D. at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), in Chemistry, under the guidance of Prof. Avelino Corma and Dr. Maria J. Díaz in 2008. At UPV he worked on the synthesis of new zeolitic structures for their application as catalysts in industrially-relevant chemical processes by using high-throughput methodologies.

Afterward, he completed a two-year postdoc (2008-2010) with Prof. Mark Davis at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), working on the design and synthesis of functional materials with application in different catalytic processes, mainly in biomass transformations.

He joined the ITQ as a “Ramón y Cajal” researcher in 2011, where his research lies at the interface of heterogeneous catalysis and materials design. At the present, he is a Tenured Scientist of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

He has published more than 50 papers in international journals, and is co-inventor of 17 international patents (10 transferred to industry). He has attended more than 30 international and national conferences, presenting several plenary and keynote lectures.

He has received different national and international awards, as the “SUSCHEM-RSEQ” to the best Ph.D. Thesis in chemistry in 2008, “EFCATS Thesis Award” to the best Ph.D. Thesis in the field of catalysis in Europe between 2007-2009, “TR-35 Spain” awarded by MIT in 2011 to young talents in Spain under-35, “Técnicas Reunidas-Chemistry” awarded by the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences in 2013 to young scientists under 40, and the “FISOCAT-Junior” awarded by the Iberoamerican Federation of Catalysis Societies in 2014 to young scientists under 40 in Latin America.

Oña Burgos, Pascual

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I studied Chemistry at University of Almería (UAL, Spain), where I earned my PhD (December 2008), receiving the best qualification cum laude, under the supervision of Prof. Fernando López-Ortiz and Prof. Ignacio Fernández. Afterwards, I expanded my horizons through three postdoctoral research opportunities:

  1. a) Firstly, I began in the industry working at Deretil’s in the department of research and development (2009).
  2. b) Secondly, I worked for 2 years and 7 months in the research group of Prof. Frank Breher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT, 2010-2012), where I was mainly supported by a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
  3. c) Finally, I was at University California of Berkeley with Prof. Don Tilley (2012-2014), supported by an International Outgoing Fellowship of the 7th FP People Marie Curie Actions, following by a returning year with Prof. Fernández at the UAL (2014-2015).

Afterwards, I moved as a Ramón y Cajal researcher at Instituto de Tecnología Químico (ITQ) in Valencia (2015-2019). At the end of 2019 I became Professor at UAL and I was as an Associated Research at ITQ. From 2022 I am a Researcher at ITQ and an Associated Professor at UAL.

From Ramón y Cajal stage my research has been focused on small molecules activation (such as H2O, CO2 and CH4) with heterometallic complexes which are used as building blocks of well-defined materials in the heterogenization processes.

Google scholar profile

 

Chica Lara, Antonio

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Born in Fuensanta (Jaén). Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (University of Granada), Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences (UPV), Bachelor of Science in Psychology (UNED), and Bachelor of Medicine (UV). Research Scientist at the CSIC’s ITQ, where he served as Technical Deputy Director (2023–2024). His research focuses on the development of advanced catalytic materials for sustainable energy generation and storage, biomass valorization, CO₂ conversion, and water decontamination. He has coordinated the CSIC’s TRANSENER+ Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (2021–2025) and, since 2024, has served as Coordinator of the CSIC’s Global Materials Area. He is a co-author of more than thirty patents and a co-founder of the spin-off company Vanaflow Energy Systems S.L.

Prieto, Gonzalo

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Dr. Gonzalo Prieto graduated in Chemical Engineering at the University of Oviedo (Spain) and obtained his PhD degree in 2010 at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ in Valencia, Spain) under the guidance of Prof. Martinez. From 2010-2013 he conducted postdoctoral research in the de Jong(h) group at the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University (The Netherlands), as part of the Center for Atomic-Level Catalyst Design research consortium of the US Department of Energy. After a short stay as visiting researcher in the Spivey group at Louisiana State University (USA), in fall 2013, he received an Alexander von Humboldt personal grant and joined the department of Heterogeneous Catalysis led by Prof. Schüth, at the Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung (MPI-KOFO, Mülheim, Germany) were he later obtained a Group Leader position. In 2017 he joined the ITQ as a Senior Tenured Researcher of the Spanish Research Council (equivalent to Assoc. Prof.).

His research activities encompass aspects of material synthesis, nanotechnology, tomographic imaging methods and reactivity assessment methods, jointly focused on the design and development of solid catalyst materials and processes for the conversion of unconventional carbon feedstocks into fuels and platform chemicals. Gonzalo has authored around 40 scientific articles and book chapters, with an average impact factor >10 (Thomson Reuters, January 2018), alongside 3 patents (2 of them transferred to industry), and has contributed >50 papers to scientific conferences/workshops and delivered ~20 invited lectures. He has participated in 15 research projects, being a Principal Investigator in 50% of them, and has supervised/currently supervises 5 PhD theses. Awards: DuPont Chemical Engineering Award (2004), National MSc Chemical Engineering Award (2005), the National PhD Thesis Award by the Spanish Catalysis Society (2010), Innovation Proposal Award by the CALCD-EFRC of the US Department of Energy (2012), Honorary Entry (top 3) at the ExxonMobil Chemical European Science and Engineering Award (2017).

Google scholar profile
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BYMRorUAAAAJ&hl=en

E-mail: prieto@itq.upv.es

Primo, Ana

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La Dra. Ana Primo es Científica Titular (CSIC) desde 2021 y actualmente dirige el Grupo de Investigación “HG energy”. Su investigación se centra en el diseño, síntesis y caracterización avanzada de materiales bidimensionales, entre ellos grafeno, nitruro de boro y MXenes, para su aplicación como catalizadores térmicos, electroquímicos y fotocatalíticos en transformaciones químicas sostenibles y procesos relacionados con la energía.

Ha liderado tres proyectos consecutivos financiados por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Más recientemente, su grupo fue reconocido como Grupo de Excelencia dentro del programa PROMETEO de la Generalitat Valenciana, donde ejerce como investigadora principal.

Sabater Picot, Ma. José

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Maria José Sabater is currently a scientific researcher at the Institute of Chemical Technology (UPV-CSIC), Valencia (Spain). She obtained her MSci and PhD degree in Organic Chemistry at the Universidad de Valencia (Spain). After completing her doctorate, she joined the group of Prof. Waldemar Adam at the Würzburg University (Germany) as a post doctoral fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, conducting photochemistry in confined spaces (1993-1994). Thereafter she moved to Poitiers University (France), with a post-doc fellowship from the European Union´s Human Capital and Mobility Program to join one of the world leaders in catalysis, Prof. Michel Guisnet (1995). Her research was focused on heterogeneous catalysis for fine chemicals.

In early 1996, she was awarded with a very competitive individual contract for research (Program for the Incorporation of Researchers and Technologists from the Ministry of Education and Science), which is a tenure track position (5 years) within the spanish research system. In 2002 she got a permanent position as scientific researcher at the Institute of Chemical Technology (UPV-CSIC). Since then she has adressed the discovery and design of novel multifunctional nanostructured solids for application as catalysts in fine chemical, pharmaceutical and environmental technologies. She is author of publications (including articles, conference proceedings and book chapters) on carbocationic chemistry, photochemistry, new materials and catalysis. On the applied side, she holds several international and national patents and licensed technologies.

Her current research interests include nanocatalysis and new materials.