Hibbitts Catalysis Lab

Endeavor to Understand Catalysts
at the Molecular Level
by Combining Kinetic and Isotopic Experiments with
Computational Chemistry

Simplify DFT Workflows
and Overcome Technical Barriers
by Developing a
Computational Catalysis Interface (CCI)

We are hiring two Post-docs to work on an ExxonMobil-funded project.
More details: here. Apply by emailing hibbitts@ufl.edu

C1 Upgrading

Methanol-to-Olefins

Fischer-Tropsch  Synthesis

Methane Activation

Biomass/Oil Upgrading

Alkane  Cracking

Biomass Hydrodeoxygenation

Denitrification, Desulfurization

Fundamentals

Curved,  Crowded,
and  Supported  Metals

Global  Minimization of Zeolite
Frameworks and Adsorbates

Periodic  Trends and
Substituent  Effects

Contact Info

hibbitts@ufl.edu
Hibbitts Office
CHE 221
Student Office
CHE 227
Kinetics Lab
CHE 230

Recent Publications
(View All)

2025

57. Conor Waldt, Rajeev Kumar, and David Hibbitts “Understanding AuPd Alloy Nanoparticle Structure under Vacuum Using DFT and Monte Carlo Methods” J. Phys. Chem. C 129 (2025) 5702

2024

56. David G. Barton, Aditya Bhan, Prashant Deshlahra, Rajamani Gounder, David Hibbitts, Beata A. Kilos, Gina Noh, Justin M. Notestein, Michele L. Sarazen, and Stuart L. Soled “A Career in Catalysis: Enrique Iglesia” ACS Catalysis 14 (2024) 10583

55. Sopuruchukwu Ezenwa, Hansel Montalvo-Castro, Alexander J. Hoffman, Huston Locht, Jordan Attebery, Deng-Yang Jan, Michael Schmithorst, Bradley Chmelka, David Hibbitts, and Rajamani Gounder “Synthetic Placement of Active Sites in MFI Zeolites for Selective Toluene Methylation to para-Xylene” JACS 146 (2024) 10666

54. Jinwoong Nam, Charanyadevi Ramasamy, Daniel E. Raser, Gustavo L. Barbosa Couto, Lydia Thies, David Hibbitts, and Fuat E. Celik “Predicting the Enthalpy of Hydrocarbon Radicals Adsorbed on Pt(111) Using Molecular Fingerprints and Machine Learning” J. Phys. Chem. C 128 (2024) 5030

53. Nikki Kragt, Jalal Tavana, Mohammed Al-Gharrawi, Clayton Wheeler, David Hibbitts, and Thomas J. Schwartz “Kinetics and Reaction Mechanism of Pd-Catalyzed Chlorobenzene Hydrogenolysis” J. Catal. 432 (2024) 115435

52. Hansel Montalvo-Castro, Álvaro Loaiza-Orduz, Randall J Meyer, Craig Plaisance, and David Hibbitts “Electronic and Geometric Features Controlling the Reactivity of Mg-vanadate and V2O5 Surfaces toward the Initial C–H Activation of C1–C3 Alkanes – a DFT+U Study” J. Catal. 442 (2025) 115800

2023

51. Conor Waldt, Hansel Montalvo-Castro, Abdulrahman Almithn, Álvaro Loaiza-Orduz, Craig Plaisance, and David Hibbitts “Role of Phosphorous in Transition Metal Phosphides for Selective Hydrogenolysis of Hindered C–O Bonds” J. Catal. 421 (2023) 403

50. Haliey Balcom, Alexander J. Hoffman, Huston Locht, and David Hibbitts “Brønsted Acid Strength Does Not Change for Bulk and External Sites of MFI” ACS Catalysis 13 (2023) 4470

49. Hansel Montalvo-Castro, Mykela DeLuca, Lauren Kilburn, and David Hibbitts “Mechanisms and Kinetics of the Dehydrogenation of C6-C8 Cycloalkanes, Cycloalkenes, and Cyclodienes to Aromatics in H-MFI Zeolite Framework” ACS Catalysis 13 (2023) 99

2022

48. Alexander J. Hoffman, Chithra Asokan, Nicholas Gadinas, Emily Schroeder, Gregory Zakem, Steven V. Nystrom, Andrew “Bean” Getsoian, Phillip Christopher, and David Hibbitts “Experimental and theoretical characterization of Rh single-atoms supported on γ-Al2O3 with varying hydroxyl content during NO reduction by CO” ACS Catalysis 12 (2022) 11697

47. Elizabeth E. Bickel, Alexander J. Hoffman, Songhyun Lee, Hannah E. Snider, Claire T. Nimlos, Natalie K. Zamiechowski, David D. Hibbitts, and Rajamani Gounder “Altering the Arrangement of Framework Al Atoms in MEL Zeolites Using Mixtures of Tetrabutylammonium and Sodium Structure-Directing Agents” Chem. Mat. 34 (2022) 6835

46. R.G. Rao, R. Blume, M. Greiner, A. Knop-Gericke, R. Schlögl, T. W. Hansen, K. Dreyer, D. D. Hibbitts, and J. Tessonnier “Evidence for Tunable Electronic Metal-Support Interactions in Carbon-Supported Palladium Catalysts” ACS Catalysis 12 (2022) 7344

45. S. Leung, D. Hibbitts, M. Garcia-Dieguez, and E. Iglesia “Binding and Exchange Reactions of Hydrogen Isotopes on Surfaces of Dispersed Pt Nanoparticles” J. Phys. Chem. C 126 (2022) 3923

44. M. DeLuca and D. Hibbitts “Predicting diffusion barriers and diffusivities of C6–C12 methylbenzenes in MFI zeolites” Micro. Meso. Mater. 333 (2022) 111705

43. E. Iglesia and D. Hibbitts “The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: A few enduring mechanistic conundrums revisited” J. Catal. 405 (2022) 614