Kickoff for Joint Lab with IFW Dresden
Kickoff with a meeting on 19 June 2017: Prof. Borisenko, Dr. Rienks, Prof. Büchner (all IFW), the leader of the Young Investigator Group Dr. Fedorov; Dr. Varykhalov and apl. Prof. Rader (both HZB) (from left to right). © HZB
The Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have created a Joint Lab for “functional quantum materials” and under its umbrella a Young Investigator Group.
The Joint Lab "Functional Quantum Materials" will take advantage of the long-standing expertise of both institutes in energy and materials research and the growth of epitaxial films.
The new lab is dedicated to explore new materials with promising quantum properties for future applications, for instance in information technologies. The scientists will further develop the common instrumentation at BESSY II with its unique properties - part of them without rival in the world.
With the joint lab, IFW Dresden and HZB intensify their collaboration in research and the promotion of young scientists. Dr. Alexander Fedorov, aged 29, is an internationally renowned young scientist who will move from Cologne to Berlin to head the Young Investigator Group.
- Green hydrogen: MXenes shows talent as catalyst for oxygen evolutionThe MXene class of materials has many talents. An international team led by HZB chemist Michelle Browne has now demonstrated that MXenes, properly functionalised, are excellent catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in electrolytic water splitting. They are more stable and efficient than the best metal oxide catalysts currently available. The team is now extensively characterising these MXene catalysts for water splitting at the Berlin X-ray source BESSY II and Soleil Synchrotron in France.
- SpinMagIC: 'EPR on a chip' ensures quality of olive oil and beerThe first sign of spoilage in many food products is the formation of free radicals, which reduces the shelf-life and the overall quality of the food. Until now, the detection of these molecules has been very costly for the food companies. Researchers at HZB and the University of Stuttgart have developed a portable, small and inexpensive 'EPR on a chip' sensor that can detect free radicals even at very low concentrations. They are now working to set up a spin-off company, supported by the EXIST research transfer programme of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The EPRoC sensor will initially be used in the production of olive oil and beer to ensure the quality of these products.
- Review on ocular particle therapy (OPT) by international expertsA team of leading experts in medical physics, physics and radiotherapy, including HZB physicist Prof. Andrea Denker and Charité medical physicist Dr Jens Heufelder, has published a review article on ocular particle therapy. The article appeared in the Red Journal, one of the most prestigious journals in the field. It outlines the special features of this form of eye therapy, explains the state of the art and current research priorities, provides recommendations for the delivery of radiotherapy and gives an outlook on future developments.