Research Groups

Group Leader: Dr. Arno Bergmann
Our goal is to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the solid liquid interface under electrocatalytic conditions relevant for electrochemical energy conversion of CO₂ and NO₃^- as well as H₂ production. Our research aims at bridging the gap between the surface science approach and applied electrolyzer research by performing (time-resolved) operando investigations on nanoparticle model catalysts. more

Group Leader: Dr. Sebastian Oener
Interfacial Ionic processes are everywhere. Consider water dissociation (WD), H₂O → H⁺ + OH^-, which is required for every proton-coupled reaction in bio- and electrochemistry at alkaline to neutral pH (i.e. where the H⁺ comes from H₂O). Despite its importance, WD is poorly understood and limits the efficiency of key energy technologies - in particular of water electrolysis generating green hydrogen and bipolar membranes producing acid and base solutions from green electricity. more

Group Leader: Dr. Mariana Monteiro
In electrocatalysis, the electrolyte is normally used to conduct charge between the two electrodes in which reactions are taking place. The cations and anions present in this conductive media, are however not just mere spectators. These species can strongly impact reaction activity, selectivity and even catalyst stability. more

Group Leader: Dr. See Wee Chee
Our research aims to derive critical structure-property relationships that control the performance of nanoscale electrocatalysts through in situ characterization with electron microscopy and its associated spectroscopic techniques. In particular, we are interested in operando studies where the imaging of catalysts in liquid environments is coupled with concurrent measurements of their reaction kinetics. more

Group Leader: Dr. Janis Timoshenko
Synchrotron radiation facilities are powerful X-ray sources that can be employed for numerous experimental techniques, including X-ray spectroscopic, scattering and imaging methods. The features of synchrotron radiation - high intensity and broad energy spectrum - make these sources ideally suited for in situ and operando investigations of advanced materials. more

Helmholtz Young Investigator Research Group
Group Leader: Dr. Christopher Kley
Our research group focuses on material synthesis and nanoscale understanding of solid-liquid interfaces for applications in catalysis and energy conversion. Key catalytic reactions, including CO₂ conversion, are challenged by the degradation of the materials employed under operation conditions, performance-limiting inefficiencies at catalyst-electrode interfaces, and limited selectivity and efficiency of the catalysts for multi-electron and proton-coupled transformations. more

Group Leader: Dr. Markus Heyde
Our research is focused on high resolution imaging and spectroscopic characterization to significantly improve our understanding of surface structure and chemistry of complex materials. The main experimental tools are low temperature ultra-high vacuum non-contact atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy. They allow us to characterize surface structures ranging from periodic and ordered surfaces to more defective morphologies and amorphous networks. more

Group Leader: Dr. Thomas Schmidt
Our investigations focus on the preparation and modification of thin oxide films on metal supports and metal nanoparticles on oxides and on the structural, electronic and chemical properties of these systems for thermal catalysis. The experiments are performed with the high resolution spectro-microscope SMART (Spectro-Microscope with Aberration Correction for many relevant Techniques) operating at the BESSY II electron storage ring. more

Group Leader: Dr. Shamil Shaikhutdinov
We study surface chemistry of oxide-supported metal and transition metal oxide nanoparticles focusing on the effect of the particle size, shape and the nature of oxide support on reactivity, particularly in CO₂ hydrogenation reactions. more

Group Leader: Dr. Juan J. Navarro
Inspired by supramolecular and polymer chemistry in solution, the surface science community has developed in the last decades a variety of strategies to form organic assemblies and two-dimensional covalent layers on well-defined flat solid surfaces. This approach is today known under the name of on-surface synthesis. more