The department Applied Electrochemistry encompasses four main research areas:

Battery technology

Mobile electrical devices require mobile power supplies. To prevent energy sources from becoming the bottleneck of the networked and mobile world, energy management systems are being developed which can be connected to different devices, creating a mobile and flexible energy source. Lithium batteries are developed for different performance classes. These range from light, thin, and flexibly built polymer lithium batteries to a specially constructed, high-performance bipolar battery. Extensive testing and development methods for batteries and battery components have been developed and form part of our service.

Fuel cells

A current research focus is the development of a supercritical reformer for diesel fuel and bio mass. In this reformer, water is added as a solvent and oxidant. The physical properties of water change at the transition to the supercritical phase, for example, aliphatic molecules become very soluble. A research aim is to find a reformer that can operate at lower temperatures than conventional reformers.

In addition, a process is being developed to quickly characterise important parameters for polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) for fuel cells.

In the field of direct ethanol fuel cells, research is being carried out into binary and tertiary catalysts for the anodic oxidation of ethanol. Depending on the fuel type, the catalyst composition significantly influences the output and efficiency of the fuel cell.

Sensor technology and analytics

In the environmental sector, security monitoring, process control and medicine, electrochemical sensors are finding increasing application. Compared to conventional sensors their advantages include higher sensitivity, easier operation and lower production costs.

A potentiodynamic measurement principle and the targeted selection of electrode materials and electrolytes allow both sensitive and highly selective detection results.

Current research is concerned with the application of electrochemical methods to detect the smallest amounts of substances. Previous measurements show that TNT concentrations can be detected in the ppt range.

Additionally, pattern recognition is being applied to the analysis of measurement signals. It allows identification and qualitative analysis of various components in a complex matrix. The mathematical analysis of electrochemical sensor signals produces a specific pattern (fingerprint). This means that after the system has been broken in, mixtures of unknown composition can be distinguished from each other without the use of substance-specific sensors. Special applications of sulfur analysis can be carried out with the modular gas chromatograph. The quantification is carried out in a complex sample matrix.

Electrocatalysis

Energy plays a central role in chemical conversion. Depending on reaction types, warmth, light, and also electric energy can be applied. In the case of electrochemical synthesis, a close correlation exists between the substance to be converted and the electrode material. Different electrodes or different electrode potentials lead to different products. The aim of our current work is to test the viability of a comparatively new electrode material - boron-doped diamond electrodes - in electrocatalysis and synthesis.

Further work is being carried out in the field of ionic liquids. These liquids display several interesting characteristics. Their very good dilution properties and electrical conductivity make them a very promising field of research in the area of electrodeposition.