Topics of the chair of electrochemistry
The Chair of Electrochemistry is researching the topics of the future.
- 'Green energy'
Fuel cells based on hydrogen or methanol are still a great idea to make mobility lower in emissions. Expensive electrochemical catalysts and still low efficiency prevent widespread use. Our research helps to understand the electrochemical mechanisms and to develop new, efficient and cheaper materials for fuel cells. Closely linked to this is also research into methods of electrosynthesis, which offers clear opportunities for saving energy compared with current processes in the chemical industry.
- 'Climate protection'
Climate change and CO2 reduction in the atmosphere will occupy future generations. One way to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere are electrochemical catalysts that produce new hydrocarbons (e.g. methanol, formic acid, ethanol) from water and carbon dioxide. We are researching new materials with high catalytic performance at the lowest possible energy input and understanding the physical-chemical mechanisms behind the catalytic effect itself.
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'Biological principals for new materials'
Enzymes are true marvels of nature. They ensure that chemically strongly inhibited processes can still take place in our cells. These unique biocatalysts were created by nature in millions of years. For example, they can easily split hydrogen, a process that traditionally requires the use of platinum or other rare metals. Our research aims to understand the processes and mechanisms at the catalytic centers of enzymes using spectro-electrochemistry. This enables the development of efficient biocatalysts.
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'Light harvesting materials'
Compared to conventional, smooth or polished surfaces, nanostructured materials can veritably capture and amplify the light. Especially gold and silver surfaces show the effect of the so-called plasmon resonance. These plasmonic systems can also be realized with other materials, for example nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2). We are researching these alternative materials, which can also be used to investigate the enzymatic catalysis already mentioned.