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The Heterogeneous Catalysis & Materials Chemistry Group researches at the interface of heterogeneous catalysis and materials chemistry. Targeted research areas include synthetic biofuels, carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion by photocatalytic and chemical methods, hydrogen generation and purification, and water purification by photocatalysis and adsorption. We have a strong focus on materials which include transition metals, oxides, oxynitrides, and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). The research efforts have applications in green chemistry and sustainability.

Click below for more information on our Hinkley projects on waste-to-energy (WTE):

 Current: Plastic Recycling via Reactive Melt Processing: Aliphatic Polyester Recovery

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  • Renewable Fuels
  • Environmental Remediation
  • Advanced Materials

 

  • John N. Kuhn
  • Professor and Associate Chair
  • Dept. of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering
  • 4202 E. Fowler Ave., ENG030
  • University of South Florida
  • Tampa, FL 33620
  • Phone: 813-974-6498
  • email: jnkuhn at usf.edu
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    John Kuhn earned his B.S. from the University of Dayton and his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, he started at USF in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in 2009. He is the secretary of the North American Catalysis Society (NACS).

    Recent News (more news)

    October 2025 - A project on the plastic recycling is funded by the William W. Hinkley Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management.

    September 2025 - Welcome to Race, Kayashta, and Miguel. All are new graduate students in the group this semester.

    August 2025 - A project on the wastewater treatment, funded by the Florida High Tech Corridor and in collaboration with the USF Civil and Environmental Engineering department, begins.

    August  2025 - Congratulations to Sola and Sheyla for defending their PhDs and graduating this semester.  

    August 2025 - Congratulations to Fernanda for being awarded a EREF Scholarship.

    July 2025 - Congratulations to Prabhsimran for passing the candidacy exam  

    June 2025 - Congratulations to Fernanda for being awarded the John and Barbara Yellott Award (LINK)

    June 2025 - Sola gives a talk at NAM29 in Atlanta.