Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications (HIPOLE Jena) Inaugurated
Wolfgang Tiefensee, Thuringia's Minister of Economics, Science and Digital Society, Prof. Dr Schubert, from Friedrich Schiller University Jena, founding director and spokesperson of HIPOLE and Prof. Dr Yan Lu (HZB), co-spokesperson of HIPOLE at the opening in Jena on 17 June 2024. © Nicole Nerger/Universität Jena
On June 17, 2024, the Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications (HIPOLE Jena) was officially inaugurated in Jena in the presence of Wolfgang Tiefensee, Minister for Economy, Science, and Digital Society of the Free State of Thuringia. The institute was founded by the Helmholtz Center Berlin for Materials and Energy (HZB) in cooperation with the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. It is dedicated to developing sustainable polymer materials for energy technologies, which are expected to play a key role in the energy transition and support Germany’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2045.
HIPOLE Jena focuses on the development of polymer-based batteries, polymer additives for perovskite solar cells, and sustainable materials for energy applications (see info box). These technologies promise efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for energy storage and conversion. The new institute is funded with 5.5 million euros annually by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Free State of Thuringia.
Minister Tiefensee emphasized the importance of HIPOLE Jena at the opening: Research conducted here is highly relevant for the energy transition. He directly addressed the researchers at HIPOLE Jena: "We need your research. We need your move to innovation!" said Tiefensee.
Dr. Peter Schroth, Head of Division at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, highlighted the strategic foresight of establishing a Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications in Jena: "The diverse academic and entrepreneurial environment in which HIPOLE Jena is located ensures excellent prospects for achieving outstanding research results that can be effectively applied."
Thanks to the advance efforts of the Free State of Thuringia, which began construction early, HIPOLE Jena was able to move into a modern laboratory building on the Landgrafen Campus of the University of Jena shortly after its founding. The laboratory rooms were equipped in the first half of 2024, and concrete research in the new labs began in early summer 2024. "We are extremely fast here," says Prof. Dr. Ulrich S. Schubert, founding director of HIPOLE Jena. "With HIPOLE Jena, we are able to give strong impulses to the development of new materials for energy technologies at an international top level." Prof. Bernd Rech, scientific director of HZB, adds that "the expertise in polymer chemistry and its applications at the University of Jena perfectly complements HZB’s experience in photovoltaics, battery research, and the latest methods for investigating chemical processes."
Info Box:
- Polymer-based batteries use polymers (large molecules composed of many repeating chemical subunits) to create lightweight and flexible energy storage solutions. They have the potential to revolutionize the way we store energy.
- Polymer additives for perovskite solar cells enhance the efficiency and durability of perovskite solar cells. These solar cells are made from cost-effective materials and can be applied to a variety of surfaces.
- Sustainable materials for energy applications are developed to avoid the use of crude oil and provide environmentally friendly and efficient solutions for energy storage and conversion. This process at HIPOLE Jena is supported by cutting-edge research methods and artificial intelligence.
Note:
The new institute is funded with 5.5 million euros annually by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Free State of Thuringia, as well as nearly 4.4 million euros by the Carl Zeiss Foundation (CZS). The CZS is financing a professorship for "Sustainable Molecular Catalysis and Light Energy Conversion" and a junior research group to study "Polymers in Energy Applications" until 2030.
- 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.