Inorganic Chemistry Department

The Inorganic Chemistry Department (AC) of the Fritz Haber Institute aims to gain a generalized understanding of heterogeneous catalysis as a multi-scale phenomenon. To achieve this goal the department develops and applies in situ methodology and combines the obtained information with kinetic data. The rationale behind this approach is the realization that catalysts are dynamic materials whose active centres are formed or transformed under reaction conditions.

The FHI contributes within all departments towards the understanding of heterogeneous catalysts defined as the prediction of the macroscopically observable performance of a kinetically demanding reaction over a given catalyst system and under given reaction conditions.

Since April 2023 Prof. Dr. Beatriz Roldán Cuenya is the interim director of the AC Department.

Prof. Dr. Robert Schlögl was the director of the Inorganic Chemistry Department of the FHI for 29 years until March 31^st, 2023. Now, he is a guest Professor at the Interface Science Department. In addition, he became the President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Currently, the AC Department is located at three sites:

_{Address 1}	_{Address 2}
Fritz-Haber-Institut der MPG · Anorganische Chemie	Fritz-Haber-Institut der MPG c/o IRIS Adlershof
Faradayweg 4-6	Zum Großen Windkanal 2
14195 Berlin	12489 Berlin

	_{Address 3}
	Fritz-Haber-Institut der MPG c/o HZB
	Albert-Einstein-Str. 15
	12489 Berlin

What is CatLab?
Hydrogen is a key building block for a successful energy transition. The main innovation in CatLab is the use of thin-film technologies from solar technology for the synthesis of customised catalysts. CatLab is anchored in BASIC RESEARCH and in parallel there is a bridge to APPLICATION.

Challenge:

Generation of green H₂
Long-distance transport and storage of H₂ by synthetic energy carriers (e.g. NH₃, methanol, methane, LOHC)
Energy-efficient further conversions into synthetic fuels and basic chemicals
Electrical energy supply for catalytic processes
Research into the interaction of active catalyst component with the carrier substance

Bundling of competences in the CatLab:
The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the two Max Planck Institutes, the Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) and the Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC), are pooling their expertise and building the research platform together with the Humboldt University of Berlin and BASF as a technology partner. CatLab is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). More about Catlab