The electrochemical reduction of iron oxide to elemental iron can be considered an environmentally friendly route to metal production if the electricity required for electrolysis is provided from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, or hydropower. In this project, we aim to understand the elementary steps of electrochemical iron oxide reduction at the atomic level by comparing them with conventional thermocatalytic processes.

In the realm of the energy transition, new functional materials must be developed that are based on earth-abundant elements. As part of the DIMENSION – Determining materials for energy conversion – project, we investigate the oxygen evolution reaction on perovskite-based materials with the perspective to move to high-entropy perovskites for energy conversion and storage processes.

Low-temperature anion exchange membrane electrolysis is an emerging alternative to proton exchange membrane electrolyzers for sustainable hydrogen production through electrolysis. As part of the research profile “Natural Water to Hydrogen” at the University of Duisburg-Essen, we investigate the oxygen evolution reaction on NiFe-based oxyhydroxides to gain mechanistic insights under alkaline reaction conditions.

The formation of nitrate by electrochemical oxidation of dinitrogen under anodic polarization conditions can be considered a dream reaction because this process combines the Haber-Bosch and Ostwald processes in a single reaction. While the oxidation of dinitrogen is hampered by the competing oxygen evolution reaction, we aim to identify selective material motifs based on Pd-based catalysts, which will be tested experimentally by members of the UNODE (Unusual Anode Reactions) research unit.

Pentlandites are naturally occurring ores that have proven to be active catalysts for the alkaline hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. Together with experimental groups from the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, we shed further light on the catalytic properties of pentlandites under anodic polarizing conditions.

Iridium dioxide is the state-of-the-art electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. As part of the Excellence Cluster RESOLV – Ruhr Explores SOLVation – we investigate the OER on IrO2-based materials to gain a better mechanistic understanding of the elementary steps under applied bias.

We are part of the collaborative research center 247 on heterogeneous oxidation catalysis in the liquid phase. Our research is dedicated to comprehending the factors that control the selective oxidation of small molecules at the atomic level. To this end, we investigate the oxygen evolution reaction and electrochemical ethylene glycol oxidation on cobalt oxide-based materials.

MXenes, two-dimensional transition metal carbides or nitrides, have gained attention for energy storage and conversion technologies in recent years. In this project, we aim to gain atomistic insight into the application of MXenes as electrocatalysts for the oxygen electrocatalysis in metal-air batteries, or for nitrogen- and carbon-based transformations under applied bias.