Electrochemistry/Catalysis

The ability to obtain insight into fundamental mechanisms is becoming increasingly important for the development of new storage technologies and conversion systems. Therefore the understanding of electrochemical and catalytic reactions and ionic transport properties is a prerequisite to boost the performance of batteries, fuel cells and H2-generating systems.
The knowledge of the kinetics and mechanisms gained by investigation of the e.g. electrode processes is used for the development of novel electrolyte and electrode materials. In addition physico-chemical analysis of materials, components and functional interfaces with respect to the defect chemistry can help to get a fundamental understanding of (defect) structure/ function relation in electrochemical components.

Analytical tasks:

• Surface reactions in liquid and gaseous media by AP-XPS
• Element analysis on the atomic scale by 3DAPT
• In-situ chemical and structural analysis in the nm-range by high-resolution TEM or in-situ TEM
• In-situ analysis of film and interface formation, electronic, structural and (electro-) chemical properties with JOSEPH/SISSY
• Pore structure of electrodes, electrode/electrolyte interaction by high-T in-situ electrochemical testing
• Interface properties of electrode materials by synchrotron-based XRD and analytical TEM
• Hydrogen loading/deloading kinetics
• High-resolution chemical and microstructural analysis by ion beam methods and positron annihilation