Catalysis with Metals

Groupleader: Katarzyna Skorupska

We’re shaping catalyst design for a sustainable energy future.
    At FHI’s Catalysis with Metals group, we are developing a new catalyst platform: Laterally Condensed Catalysts (LCCs) — thin metal films only a few nanometers thick — as a high-performance, material-efficient alternative to conventional powder catalysts. Within the CatLab project (a joint initiative with HZB), LCCs are synthesized using methodologies adapted from solar cell technology, giving access to precise and homogeneous structures and chemistry. This design closes the long-standing material gap between ideal model catalysts and realistic powder systems, enabling more predictive insights into catalytic performance.
    Our work centers on thermal catalysis, with a particular focus on C–C, C–H, and C–O activation reactions, including CO₂ hydrogenation and acetylene hydrogenation. We study the entire catalyst life cycle — from synthesis and pretreatment (oxidation/reduction), through working conditions, to deactivation and regeneration (e.g., coking of Pt catalysts and their low-temperature recovery). To achieve this, we combine reactor-oriented methods and advanced surface characterization techniques with in situ and operando spectroscopy at synchrotron facilities (BESSY II, EMIL), in close collaboration with the Electronic Structure Group. We are also interested in synergies between electro- and thermal processes and their effect on catalyst active centers.

Our research is embedded in several major collaborative projects:

• CatLab — the joint flagship project of MPG and HZB. CatLab focuses on establishing this new catalyst platform of metal thin-film systems as a promising alternative to powder catalysts, bridging fundamental research and applied energy solutions.
• FunCat (Max Planck Cardiff Centre on the Fundamentals of Heterogeneous Catalysis) — where we contribute to advancing the fundamental understanding of catalytic processes. (more)
• EnerChem — a collaboration with BASF and HZB focused on catalysis in energy-related transformations.