Science News

Researchers from the Inorganic Chemistry Departments of the Fritz Haber Institute revealed how structural changes on the surface and in the bulk region of the cobalt oxide catalyst Co₃O₄ influence its selectivity in the production of industrially relevant chemicals like acetone. They discovered that a metastable, structurally “trapped” state exhibits the highest catalytic activity - an important finding for catalyst design. more

A large international collaboration of researchers led by the Fritz Haber Institute, the Paul Drude Institute, and the University of Iowa proposes a new way to control how light moves through materials at extremely small scales. This approach could lead to better sensors, faster communications, and smaller optical devices.  more

Researchers from the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society have unveiled fundamental new insights into the working principles of fuel-cell catalysts. Their study, published in Nature Communications, reveals how multiple steps during the conversion of oxygen (O₂) to water (H₂O) give rise to the overall catalyst kinetics, and how this is related to changes at the catalyst-solution interface. The study constitutes a profound step forward in our understanding of multi-step electrocatalytic reactions. more

A new study led by the University of Bayreuth and our Institute´s Theory Department reveals that widely used computer simulations and artificial intelligence tools often make significant errors when predicting the properties of next-generation, high-performance materials. Published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials, the research identifies the root of these inaccuracies and introduces new methods to overcome them. more

Researchers from the Physical Chemistry and Theory departments at the Fritz Haber Institute have found a new way to image layers of boron nitride that are only a single atom thick. This material is usually nearly invisible in optical microscopes because it has no optical resonances. To resolve this issue, the team uses nonlinear microscopy with infrared light, making the material shine very brightly and even reveal its crystal orientation. The work has important implications for the vibrant field of designing new (opto-)electronic devices from stacking 2D materials. more

Researchers from the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society (FHI) have uncovered how carbonate molecules affect the conversion of CO₂ into valuable fuels on gold electrocatalysts. Their findings reveal key molecular mechanisms in CO₂ electrocatalysis and hydrogen evolution, pointing to new strategies for improving energy efficiency and reaction selectivity. more

Researchers from the Department of Molecular Physics at the Fritz Haber Institute have demonstrated the first magneto-optical trap of a stable ‘closed-shell’ molecule: aluminum monofluoride (AlF).  They were able to cool AlF with lasers and selectively trap it in three different rotational quantum levels - breaking new ground in ultracold physics. Their experiments open the door to advanced precision spectroscopy and quantum simulation with AlF.  more