HZB magazine lichtblick - the new issue is out!
In his search for the perfect catalyst, HZB researcher Robert Seidel is now getting a tailwind – thanks to a ERC Consolidator Grant. In the cover story, we explain why the X-ray source BESSY II plays an important role for his research.
Bernd Rech has just started his second term of office. What are his plans? In this interview, he reveals the role that basic research plays, but also why a good working atmosphere is important to him. Read more on page 8.
Click here for the online issue
Topics include:
- p. 4 Robert Seidel - In search of the perfect catalyst
- p. 3: Three questions for Thomas Frederking
- p. 8: Interview with Bernd Rech on his second term of office
- p. 12: Opening of HiPOLE in Jena
- p. 16: Science meets art - two projects presented
- p. 20: One year after the cyber attack - what have we learnt?
- p. 26: Research on the neutron instruments continues
- p. 28: New dual leadership for BESSY II
- p. 30: Recipe from all over the world
We hope you enjoy reading this issue! As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for topics.
Your editorial team
- Nanosilver as an electrocatalyst for CO₂ reductionVia electrolysis, CO2 can be reduced to CO, a raw material for further chemical products such as fuels. Within the GreenQuest Project, an internation team led by HZB chemist Prashanth Menezes has now systematically investigated catalyst layers made of silver nanoparticles, varying both the size of the particles and their density. The best yield was achieved with nanoparticles with diameters of around 10 nm, which were loosely distributed. Furthermore, they demonstrated how the economic efficiency of the electrochemical cell can be enhanced by integrating an additional chemical reaction at the anode, enabling the simultaneous production of a valuable formic acid, hydrogen, and CO in one device.
- Spin waves inside a nano-oscillator imaged for the first timeFor the first time, researchers have directly imaged the magnetisation dynamics inside a spin Hall nano-oscillator — a nanoscale device that converts direct current into tunable microwave signals and is a promising building block for energy-efficient wireless communication and brain-inspired computing. A Swedish–German team led by the University of Gothenburg and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) achieved this using time-resolved scanning transmission X-ray microscopy at the MAXYMUS instrument at BESSY II. The results, now published in Advanced Materials, reveal spin-wave features that had escaped previous, indirect measurement techniques.
- New technique could make MRI more preciseA team of researchers at the University of Stuttgart and HZB has developed a new method that could make MRI even more precise by eliminating “dead time,” a key limiting factor in the measurement process, thereby enabling the detection of signals that are lost using conventional methods. This method opens up new possibilities for medical diagnostics and non-destructive materials testing. The research team presents the new approach in Science Advances.