Profile
Professor Johannes LERCHER
(C4T) Emeritus Professor of Chemical Technology, Technische Universität München
Professor Lercher’s research is focused on heterogeneous catalysis. He aims to gain an elemental understanding of the chemical reactions on surfaces and in the pores of nanostructured catalysts in order to develop new catalysts and reaction channels. Processes like the sustainable generation of clean energy sources through selective conversion of biogenous or fossil raw materials are examined. Organization and dynamics at solid/liquid interfaces are of particular interest in this context.
Professor Lercher studied chemistry at TU Vienna, where he completed his doctorate (1980) and his postdoctoral teaching qualification (1985). In 1982, he was a visiting professor at Yale University. In 1990, he became Head of the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Heterogeneous Catalysis, and was appointed to a professorship at the University of Twente, NL, in 1993, and joined the faculty of TUM in 1998. He is a member of several academies, such as the Academia Europaea and the US National Academy of Engineering. Professor Lercher is editor in chief of the Journal of Catalysis, the leading journal in the field of catalysis.
Scientific Advisors
Research Interest
Fundamental aspects of oxide and molecular sieve based sorption and catalysis, new routes to activate and functionalise hydrocarbons, conversion of biomass into high value energy carriers, hydrogenation and hydrodefunctionalisation of heavy fossil carbon resources, carbon capture and utilisation.