Kickoff for Joint Lab with IFW Dresden
Kickoff with a meeting on 19 June 2017: Prof. Borisenko, Dr. Rienks, Prof. Büchner (all IFW), the leader of the Young Investigator Group Dr. Fedorov; Dr. Varykhalov and apl. Prof. Rader (both HZB) (from left to right). © HZB
The Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have created a Joint Lab for “functional quantum materials” and under its umbrella a Young Investigator Group.
The Joint Lab "Functional Quantum Materials" will take advantage of the long-standing expertise of both institutes in energy and materials research and the growth of epitaxial films.
The new lab is dedicated to explore new materials with promising quantum properties for future applications, for instance in information technologies. The scientists will further develop the common instrumentation at BESSY II with its unique properties - part of them without rival in the world.
With the joint lab, IFW Dresden and HZB intensify their collaboration in research and the promotion of young scientists. Dr. Alexander Fedorov, aged 29, is an internationally renowned young scientist who will move from Cologne to Berlin to head the Young Investigator Group.
- Battery research with the HZB X-ray microscopeNew cathode materials are being developed to further increase the capacity of lithium batteries. Multilayer lithium-rich transition metal oxides (LRTMOs) offer particularly high energy density. However, their capacity decreases with each charging cycle due to structural and chemical changes. Using X-ray methods at BESSY II, teams from several Chinese research institutions have now investigated these changes for the first time with highest precision: at the unique X-ray microscope, they were able to observe morphological and structural developments on the nanometre scale and also clarify chemical changes.
- BESSY II: New procedure for better thermoplasticsBio-based thermoplastics are produced from renewable organic materials and can be recycled after use. Their resilience can be improved by blending bio-based thermoplastics with other thermoplastics. However, the interface between the materials in these blends sometimes requires enhancement to achieve optimal properties. A team from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands has now investigated at BESSY II how a new process enables thermoplastic blends with a high interfacial strength to be made from two base materials: Images taken at the new nano station of the IRIS beamline showed that nanocrystalline layers form during the process, which increase material performance.
- Hydrogen: Breakthrough in alkaline membrane electrolysersA team from the Technical University of Berlin, HZB, IMTEK (University of Freiburg) and Siemens Energy has developed a highly efficient alkaline membrane electrolyser that approaches the performance of established PEM electrolysers. What makes this achievement remarkable is the use of inexpensive nickel compounds for the anode catalyst, replacing costly and rare iridium. At BESSY II, the team was able to elucidate the catalytic processes in detail using operando measurements, and a theory team (USA, Singapore) provided a consistent molecular description. In Freiburg, prototype cells were built using a new coating process and tested in operation. The results have been published in the prestigious journal Nature Catalysis.