In the focus of X-rays: New materials for the energy transition

New Process to Test Materials for the Hydrogen Industry

27-Jun-2024 - Researchers at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY have developed a method to rapidly test new materials for the hydrogen industry and analyze their properties down to the atomic level. They were the first to test so-called high-entropy alloys for their corrosion resistance to hydrogen, and ...

Looking at the Sides of Molecules: Lateral force microscopy reveals previously unseen hydrogen atoms

The ability to directly observe hydrogen atoms marks a significant breakthrough and opening up new avenues for research and innovation

23-Jan-2024 - Researchers at the University of Regensburg and the Graz University of Technology have shown that hydrogen atoms at the sides of molecules lying on a surface can directly be seen. The study, published in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”, describes that by looking ...

Graphene discovery could help generate hydrogen cheaply and sustainably

Microscopic insights into electrochemical interfaces

29-Aug-2023 - Researchers from The University of Warwick and the University of Manchester have finally solved the long-standing puzzle of why graphene is so much more permeable to protons than expected by theory. A decade ago, scientists at The University of Manchester demonstrated that graphene is permeable ...

How atomic nuclei vibrate

04-Aug-2023 - Dr.rer.nat. Arne Claussen Stabsstelle Presse und KommunikationHeinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf Physics: Publication in Nature Physics Using ultra-high-precision laser spectroscopy on a simple molecule, a group of physicists led by Professor Stephan Schiller Ph.D. from Heinrich Heine ...

Surface analysis of catalyst particles in aqueous solutions

The results are relevant for the development of efficient photoelectrodes for the production of green hydrogen

25-Jul-2023 - Green hydrogen can be produced directly in a photoelectrochemical cell, splitting water with solar energy. However, this requires the development of super-efficient photoelectrodes that need to combine many talents at the same time: They must be excellent at converting sunlight into electricity, ...

High-efficiency water splitting process revealed

Reaction of high interest to clean-energy innovations is closely analysed in X-ray study

17-Feb-2023 - Experiments at DESY’s light sources PETRA III and FLASH have revealed the complex mode of action behind the artificial splitting of water at its most efficient level. Using X-rays, a team led by DESY leading scientist Simone Techert managed to observe the interaction of water with a perovskite, a ...

Photocatalysis: Processes in charge separation recorded experimentally

The results provide clues to increase the efficiency of photocatalysts

11-Nov-2022 - Certain metal oxides are considered good candidates for photocatalysts to produce green hydrogen with sunlight. A Chinese team has now published exciting results on copper(I) oxide particles in Nature, to which a method developed at HZB contributed significantly. Transient surface photovoltage ...

Green hydrogen: faster progress with modern X-ray sources

11-Oct-2022 - In order to produce green hydrogen, water can be split up via electrocatalysis, powered by renewable sources such as sun or wind. A review article in the journal Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed. shows how modern X-ray sources such as BESSY II can advance the development of suitable electrocatalysts. In ...

Three Eyes See More than Two - monitoring a catalytic reaction with three different microscopies under exactly the same conditions in real time

Information is obtained that none of the methods alone could reveal

30-Sep-2022 - One has to look very closely to exactly understand what processes take place on the surfaces of catalysts. Solid catalysts are often finely structured materials made of tiny crystals. There are various microscopies to monitor chemical processes on such surfaces – they use, for example, ...

Green hydrogen glows pink

Researchers develop a sensor to make hydrogen visible

14-Mar-2022 - Researchers at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy and the Chair of Thermal Process Technology at FAU have succeeded in making invisible hydrogen gas visible to the naked eye in order to prevent the risk of fires and explosions. The key to their research is what is known as supraparticles, ...