Meet the Researcher: Pedro Sanchez-Camacho

Spotlight on Pedro Sánchez-Camacho

Meet Pedro Sánchez-Camacho, whose research focusses on CO2 separation using ceramic molten salt membranes.

How would you summarise your research?

My research focuses on CO2 separation using ceramic molten salt membranes. I test different materials, trying to understand the chemical reactions that are involved in these kinds of processes.

What questions drive your research?

• ~ What chemical reactions happen during CO2 permeation?
• ~ Is CO2 permeation limited by the conductivity of the material?
• ~ Is it possible to design a material that meets all the requirements to be used in real applications? 

What specialist equipment do you use in your research?

Pedro describes the core equipment he uses in his research in the following video: Pedro Sanchez-Camacho (Mass Spectrometer)

What has been your proudest research moment so far?

The day of my thesis defence to obtain my Chemistry degree. The positive outcome that day marked the culmination of many years of effort.

Have any collaborations or mentors significantly shaped your work?

I have been lucky enough to work with mentors in different countries, all of whom share the idea of making high-quality research that could help develop our society. My PhD supervisor taught me the meaning of being a researcher: following my curiosity and working hard to obtain answers.  

What do you wish more people understood about working in STEM/research?

Working in STEM/research is not as difficult as some people might think. You don’t need to be a genius to succeed; the main attributes I think are necessary in these fields are a willingness to work hard, and resilience. In addition, there is usually good camaraderie among group members – I have made really good friends through my years in academia.

If you weren’t a researcher, what do you think you’d be doing?

This is hard to answer! I would have liked to have been an athlete, and I always liked to play sports. However, being more realistic, a career as a sports journalist would have been enjoyable.

Are you excited to come to our conference in September?

For sure, the conference sounds promising with great guest speakers. In addition, Bath is a beautiful town which I always enjoy visiting. 

Pedro’s work, Development of New Bifunctional Dense Ceramic-Carbonate Membrane Reactors for Gas Mixtures Separation, through CO Oxidation and Subsequent CO2 Permeation, in collaboration with the University of Mexico, was published in ACS Applied Energy Materials.