Valentin Valtchev

Valentin Valtchev is a Senior Researcher (Classe exceptionnelle) at the CNRS, affiliated with the Laboratoire Catalyse et Spectrochimie (LCS) in Caen, France. He holds a Doctorat in Chemistry (2000) and a Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (2008) from Université de Caen Normandie. His career includes leadership roles such as Head of the "Catalysis for Energy and Chemistry" group (2014-2018), Scientific Director of ENSICAEN's Research Center (2011-2014), and Director of the Maison française d’Oxford (2016-2020). His research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, zeolites, in situ/operando infrared spectroscopy, and sustainable energy materials.

Education:

• Doctorat en Chimie (2000), Université de Caen
• Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (2008), Université de Caen
• Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Cambridge (2003-2004)

Research Interests:

Valentin's work centers on catalysts for clean fuel production, hydrogen generation, and CO₂ reduction. He develops advanced materials like zeolites and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), with emphasis on structure-activity relationships and operando spectroscopic techniques. Key applications include biofuel upgrading, plastic waste valorization, and carbon capture technologies.

Awards & Honors:

• Prix de la Division Catalyse, Société Chimique de France (2000)
• Toyota Research Call laureate (2007)
• Senior Associate, Pembroke College, Oxford (2017-2021)

Grants & Collaborations:

He coordinates major projects like the EU-funded e-CODUCT (CO₂ reduction via catalytic reactors) and the ANR programs ECOHDOC and BIOSYNGOP. Industrial partnerships include Total, Michelin, and Grace Davison. His research spans academic-industrial collaborations in France, Europe, and the U.S.

Labs & Teams:

He leads a research group of ~15 members at LCS, specializing in catalytic materials and operando studies. His team collaborates internationally on topics like methane hydrate storage and CO₂ conversion.