Sustainable synthesis through electrocatalysis

Multi-metal electrocatalysis - Controlling the mechanistic pathways for electrochemical CO2 reduction
The Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 group is researching how carbon dioxide and water can be converted electrochemically into hydrocarbons such as methane and methanol using renewable energies.
Presently, most carbon-based fuels and industrial chemicals originate from fossil resources accumulated over millions of years. Following their use, these fuels and chemicals decompose to CO2 which is released into our atmosphere, causing significant changes to global climate.Research Topics
Structure–activity relationships in bi-metallic catalysts
Our goal is to electrochemically convert CO2 to highly-reduced, valuable organic products (alkanes, alkenes, alcohols) in a single process. Individual metal catalysts suffer from binding energy scaling, which impart thermodynamic barriers and result in low efficiency and poor yield of the desired products. We will examine the ability of multi-metal catalysts to enable different binding modes and reaction mechanisms which favor the production of highly-reduced products.
Targeting kinetic limitations via advanced cell design
The low solubility of CO2 in water limits conventional systems to low current densities. For the technology to be industrially viable, much higher rates of CO2 transport are necessary, and this can be achieved by using gas diffusion cells. Our research efforts involve synthesis of robust membrane–electrode assemblies suited for electrochemical CO2 reduction, and design of cells capable of efficient product collection.
Mechanism study using operando spectroscopy
Improved understanding of electrochemical mechanisms is needed to enable design of better catalysts. We are developing methods for spectroscopic analysis of catalysts under real operation conditions. This includes design of an electrochemical cell for X-ray emission/absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy.
Methods

Electrochemical mass spectrometry
By interfacing an electrochemical cell with a mass spectrometer via a pervaporation membrane, dissolved volatile products can be detected and identified by mass fragments almost instantaneously during electrocatalyst testing. This enables, for example, the determination of potential-dependent product formation across the whole potential range during a single linear sweep voltammetry experiment.
Reference: Clark, E. L., et al. Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometer Cell Design for Online Quantification of Products Produced during Electrochemical Reduction of CO2. Anal. Chem. 2015, 87 (15), 8013–8020.

Gas chromatography
Gas outflow from the cell is separated and quantified by gas chromatography (GC), enabling precise quantification for Faradaic efficiency determinations. Products measured include carbon monoxide, hydrogen, oxygen, methane, ethylene, and other gaseous hydrocarbons.
A separate autosampler channel allows automated sampling of liquid vials for volatile liquids determination (alcohols, aldehydes).
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Vacancies
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Funding, fellowship, internship opportunities
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DAAD RISE Professional internships
Research Internships in Science and Engineering. RISE Professional offers summer research internships in Germany to Master’s and Ph.D. students from USA, Canada, Great Britain or Ireland at companies and non-university research institutions with strong relations to industry. RISE Professional is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. -
HZB International Summer Student Programme
Each summer HZB offers undergraduate students the eight-week summer student programme. Students from all over the world get the chance to work on their own research project in close cooperation with scientists. -
Research in Germany
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Master/Bachelor student research internships
Research internships for students of Berlin universities -
Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC-FUB)
We participate in the FUB-CSC PhD program - click above