Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Grant for Dr. Jie Wei
Dr. Jie Wei strives to further elucidate the nanoscale structure-property relationships at electrocatalytic interfaces for CO2 and CO conversion. © C. Kley / HZB
In April, Dr. Jie Wei started his research work in the Helmholtz Young Investigator Group Nanoscale Operando CO2 Photo-Electrocatalysis at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) of the Max Planck Society. Wei received one of the highly competitive Humboldt postdoctoral research fellowships and will pursue his two-year project under the guidance of the academic hosts Dr. Christopher Kley and Prof. Dr. Beatriz Roldan Cuenya.
Jie Wei is a native of China and obtained his PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Science and Technology of China. He spent two years as a postdoc at Tsinghua University (China). His previous works focused on the interface structure and dynamic behavior of catalysts under reaction conditions using (video-rate) electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), differential electrochemical mass spectrometry and in situ Raman spectroscopy.
“I applied for a postdoctoral position in this group because of the hosts’ expertise in employing cutting-edge in situ surface-sensitive characterization techniques for advancing fundamental understanding of catalysts under reaction conditions,” says Wei. “Together, HZB and FHI offer a unique range of cutting-edge experimental resources along with a strong theory support for calculation and modeling of solid-liquid interfaces. Having access to such advanced spectroscopic characterization tools, particularly electrochemical atomic force microscopy, is awesome. I strive to further elucidate the nanoscale structure-property relationships at electrocatalytic interfaces for CO2 and CO conversion,” he continues.
From his stay in Berlin, Wei also expects to expand his scientific expertise, moving towards more sundry methodologies and more complex sample systems.
“With Jie’s expertise, we look forward to pushing forward the field of nanoscale electrocatalysis for renewable energy conversion and storage", says Christopher Kley. “A key for our successful research is a very diverse and open environment. I am delighted that Jie will enrich our team with new perspectives and ideas“, Beatriz Roldan Cuenya adds.
HZB and FHI have been collaborating on catalysis research for several years. Together they operate the BMBF funded large-scale Catalysis Laboratory (CatLab).
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation annually awards various fellowships to outstanding scientists from all over the world in all disciplines. The fellowships are highly prized, and the “Humboltians”-community counts numerous Nobel Prizes.
- Electrocatalysts: New model for charge separation at the solid-liquid interfaceHydrogen is at the heart of the transition to carbon neutrality, as both an energy carrier and a reagent for green chemistry. However, large-scale production of hydrogen via electrolysis, as well as the production of many other chemical products, requires significantly cheaper and more efficient catalysts. A precise understanding of the electrochemical processes that take place at the interface between the solid catalyst and the liquid medium is highly useful for developing better electrocatalysts. In the journal Nature Communications, an European team has now presented a powerful model that determines charge separation at the interface, the formation of the electric double layer and local electric potential variations, and the resulting influence on the catalytic activity.
- Environmental Chemistry at BESSY II: Radicals in waterwaysHow do radicals form in aqueous solutions when exposed to UV light? This question is important for health research and environmental protection, for example with regard to the overfertilisation of water bodies by intensive agriculture. A team at BESSY II has now developed a new method of investigating hydroxyl radicals in solution. By using a clever trick, the scientists gained surprising insights into the reaction pathway.
- Theory meets practice – We’re heading back to HTW Berlin!The HZB’s BIPV consultancy office (BAIP) is once again coordinating and delivering the lecture series “Building-Integrated Photovoltaics”.