Development of new electrocatalysts for the fuel cell - how replacing the platinum can help the system to break through

In Europe, around 1/3 of all energy is used in the transport sector, the majority of which is generated on the road. The associated CO ₂ emissions could be significantly reduced if, instead of the internal combustion engines, the vehicles were driven by electric motors, which could contain their energy from the fuel cell, for example. In the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, the chemical energy, which is stored in hydrogen and oxygen, is converted into electrical energy and water, the only reaction product, through "quiet" combustion. A major problem that is preventing the technology from achieving commercial breakthroughs is the currently still great need for expensive platinum, which catalyzes the chemical reactions. This lecture briefly introduces the concept of the fuel cell and current studies on cost allocation. Building on this, current research highlights from the development of precious metal-free fuel cell catalysts - for the substitution of platinum - are presented and an outlook is given as to the areas in which these novel catalysts need to be further researched.

Actual position

Junior professor for catalysts and electrocatalysts, TU Darmstadt, appointment within the framework of the Graduate School of Excellence Energy Science and Engineering (since 03/2015), without tenure track

Important previous positions

• ½ Visiting professorship for Technical Chemistry, TU Berlin, winter semester 2014/2015
• Postdoc positions at the BTU Cottbus (Prof. D. Schmeißer) and Helmholtz Center Berlin (Prof. S. Fiechter) as well
• Postdoctoral fellowship in the group of Prof. Jean-Pol Dodelet, INRS-EMT, Canada
• Doctoral thesis at the Helmholtz Center Berlin, doctorate in 2009 for Dr. rer. nat. at the TU Berlin, with distinction (structure elucidation of porphyrin-based electrocatalysts using Mössbauer spectroscopy),
• Study of physical engineering / environmental engineering at the West Saxon University in Zwickau

Awards

• BMBF Junior Research Group NanoMatFutur (from 2017)
• DAAD travel grant to the Gordon Research Conference Fuel Cells (2014), invited talk
• Participation in the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting Chemistry 2009
• Award of the diploma thesis with the Kirchhoff-Hummel Prize of the Friends of the West Saxon University of Zwickau (2005)

Memberships

GDCh, DPG, ECS, ISE 7 invited lectures at international conferences 18 invited lectures at universities and non-university institutions

Expert activity for the following journals, among others

Nature, Energy and Environmental Science, Journal of the American Chemical Society and Angewandte Chemie Int Ed.