# COMOC Research Group - Ghent University

> Centre for Ordered Materials, Organometallics and Catalysis (COMOC)
> Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
> Group Leader & Principal Investigator: Prof. dr. Pascal Van Der Voort (FRSC)
> Official Portal: https://comoc.ugent.be/

## Overview
COMOC is an internationally leading research group at Ghent University specializing in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of advanced porous materials including Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas (PMOs), and porous hybrid polymers. The laboratory applies these advanced materials to heterogeneous catalysis, solar photocatalysis, organic electrosynthesis, environmental water purification, e-waste gold recovery, and gas storage/separation.

## Key Research Themes
- **Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs)**: Highly crystalline 2D and 3D conjugated networks engineered for photocatalytic water purification, H2O2 production, selective precious metal recovery from electronic waste, and sustainable organic electrosynthesis.
- **Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)**: Defect engineering in Zr-based frameworks (UiO-66, MOF-808), bimetallic active sites, and low-symmetry linkers for hydrogen isotope separation.
- **Heterogeneous Catalysis & Green Chemistry**: Sustainable biomass valorization, Guerbet alcohol condensation, ozone-assisted oxidation, and non-thermal plasma catalysis for VOC abatement.
- **Electrocatalysis & Gas Separation**: CO2 reduction, electrocatalytic water splitting, high-pressure methane and hydrogen storage (up to 100 bar), and dynamic vapor adsorption.

## Principal Investigator
- **Name**: Prof. dr. Pascal Van Der Voort (FRSC)
- **Role**: Senior Full Professor and Director of COMOC
- **Honors**: Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
- **Affiliation**: Department of Chemistry, Ghent University
- **Scientific Impact**: 744 total publications indexed in the Ghent University Academic Bibliography; 430 peer-reviewed Journal Articles (A1) in Web of Science; h-index 71+
- **ORCID**: 0000-0002-1248-479X (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1248-479X)
- **Google Scholar**: https://scholar.google.be/citations?user=DdI5E8QAAAAJ&hl=en
- **UGent Biblio**: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication?q=author%3D%22Van+der+voort%2C+Pascal%22

## Research Team
- **Principal Investigator**: Prof. dr. Pascal Van Der Voort (FRSC)
- **Postdoctoral Researchers**: Dr. Titus de Haas, Dr. Muzammil Hussain, Dr. Linyang Wang, Dr. Wafaa Ahmed, Dr. Karen Leus, Dr. Joseph Manning
- **PhD Candidates**: Tingting Yang, Eline Jansen, Diem Van Hamme, Meng Li, Kobe Scherpereel, Tijs Vandenneucker, Nuoya Li, Joanna Lech, Oscar Aldaz Trenc
- **Doctoral Dissertations**: 46 completed PhD theses documented from 2009 to present

## Analytical Services & Instrumentation
1. **Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD)**: Bruker D8 Advance with Lynxeye detector and Anton Paar HTK1200N in situ high-temperature chamber (up to 1200 °C).
2. **X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)**: S-Probe Surface Analyzer with monochromatic Al Kα X-ray source.
3. **Nitrogen & Gas Physisorption**: Quantachrome Quadrasorb-SI and Autosorb-iQ-MP units for BET specific surface area and micropore/mesopore sizing.
4. **Chemisorption & High-Pressure Adsorption**: Quantachrome iSorb HP1 (gas storage up to 100 bar) and AutoSorb iQ (pulse chemisorption, TPR/TPO/TPD).
5. **Vibrational Spectroscopy**: In situ high-temperature vacuum FTIR cell and Kaiser 532 nm Dispersive Raman with immersion probes.
6. **Elemental Analysis**: Thermo Flash 2000 CHNS/O analyzer.
7. **Electron Microscopy**: Phenom ProX Desktop SEM with EDX; access to UGent HR-TEM facilities.

## Primary Website Sections
- [Research Topics](https://comoc.ugent.be/research): Overview of active research clusters, COFs, MOFs, and catalytic systems.
- [Scientific Publications](https://comoc.ugent.be/publications): Dynamic bibliography featuring 430 A1 journal articles and 744 total works.
- [Journal & Book Covers](https://comoc.ugent.be/covers): Gallery of featured cover artwork in Wiley, ACS, RSC, and Elsevier journals.
- [PhD Dissertations](https://comoc.ugent.be/dissertations): Repository of completed doctoral theses from 2009 to present.
- [Analytical Services](https://comoc.ugent.be/services): Comprehensive instrumentation and contract characterization services.
- [Team Members](https://comoc.ugent.be/members): Academic staff, postdocs, PhD researchers, and alumni directory.
- [Teaching & Courses](https://comoc.ugent.be/courses): Academic courses taught by Prof. Van Der Voort in inorganic and porous materials chemistry.
- [Careers & Opportunities](https://comoc.ugent.be/opportunities): Open PhD positions, FWO/BOF fellowships, and postdoc inquiries.
- [Contact & Location](https://comoc.ugent.be/contact): Ghent University Campus Sterre, Building S3, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.