Visit of Dr. Luís Mafra and Dr. Mariana Sardo

On 17-19 April 2024, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Mariana Sardo and Dr. Luís Mafra from the University of Aveiro.

Dr. Sardo, an expert in high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy, is the coordinator of the EU-funded “PANACEA” project, which aims to make cutting-edge NMR facilities more accessible to the European chemical community. In her lecture, she spotlighted the opportunities offered by the powerful National NMR facility at Aveiro within the framework of “PANACEA”.

Dr. Mafra is the Principal Researcher and the Manager of the solid-state NMR facility at CICECO, recognized for his pioneering work in developing novel NMR spectroscopy methods, particularly for observing quadrupolar nuclei, which have earned him several prestigious awards, including the Celestino da Costa/Jean Perrin prize (2006), António Xavier-Bruker prize (2009), and a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant (2020). In his lecture, Dr. Mafra illuminated the recent advancements in solid-state NMR spectroscopy for a molecular-scale understanding of the adsorption mechanisms of confined guest molecules in the context of heterogeneous catalysis and gas capture applications.

Our guests also visited our catalysis and electron microscopy laboratories, where hands-on discussions on synthesis, catalysis, imaging, and acidity characterization paved the way for exciting future collaborations.