Recent Publications

• Eyssler, A., Winkler, A., Mandaliev, P., Hug, P., Weidenkaff, A., Ferri, D., Influence of thermally induced structural changes of 2 wt% Pd/LaFeO₃ on methane combustion activity, Appl. Catal. B: Environmental, 106 (2011) 494.
• Eyssler, A., Kleymenov, E., Kupferschmid, A., Nachtegaal, M., Santhosh Kumar, M., Hug, P., Weidenkaff, A., Ferri, D., Improvement of catalytic activity of LaFe_0.95Pd_0.05O₃ for methane oxidation under transient conditions, J. Phys. Chem. C, 115 (2011) 1231.
• Santhosh Kumar, M., Aguirre. M.H., Weidenkaff, A., Ferri, D., Revisiting the problem of active sites for methane combustio on Pd/Al₂O₃ by operando XANES in a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor, J. Phys. Chem. C, 114 (2010) 9439.
• Ferri, D., Santhosh Kumar, M., Wirz,, R., Eyssler, A., Korsak, O., Hug, P., Weidenkaff, A, Newton, M.A., First steps in combining modulation excitation spectroscopy with synchronous dispersive EXAFS/DRIFTS/mass spectrometry for in situ time resolved study of heterogeneous catalysts, PCCP, 12 (2010) 5634.
• Wei, X., Hug, P., Figi, R., Trottmann, M., Weidenkaff, A., Ferri, D., Catalytic application of nano-structured perovskite-type oxides fabricated by ultrasonic spray combustion, Appl. Catal. B: Environmental, 94 (2010) 27.
• Barth, J., Schoop, L. M., Gloskovskii, A., Felser, C., Shkabko, A., Klar, P.,  Weidenkaff, A., Investigation of the thermoelectric properties of the solid solution TiCo_1-xNi_xSn_xSb_1-x, Z. Anorg. Allg.Chem., 635 (2009) 132.
• Robert, R., Logvinovich, D. Aguirre, M.H., Ebbinghaus, S.G., Bocher, L. and Weidenkaff, A., Crystal structure, morphology and physical properties of LaCo_1-xTi_xO₃ perovskites prepared by a citric acid assisted soft chemistry synthesis,  Acta Mat., 58 (2010) 680.
• Santhosh Kumar, M., Eyssler, A., Hug, P., van Vegten, N., Baiker, A., Weidenkaff, A., Ferri, D., Elucidation of structure-activity relationships of model three way catalysts for the combustion of methane Appl. Catal. B: Environmetnal, 94 (2010) 77.
• Barth, J., Fecher, G. H., Balke, B., Ouardi, S., Graf, T., Shkabko, A., Weidenkaff, A., Felser, C., et al, Itinerant half metallic ferromagnets Co₂TiZ (Z = Si, Ge, Sn): Ab initio calculations and measurement of the electronic structure and transport properties, Phys. Rev. B , 81, (2010) 064404.

• Publications since 2006

• Publications 2009
• Publications 2008

Modern energy- and pollution-control technologies are necessary to ensure our present quality of life. Our goal is to discover and develop novel functional materials by means of innovative solid state chemistry methods. Promising candidates are complex transition metal oxides with perovskite-type structure exhibiting a multiplicity of interesting electrical, magnetic, catalytic and photochemical properties. These features make them interesting in many applications as modern functional materials, such as dielectrics, ferroelectrics, thermoelectrics or CMR-materials. With thermoelectric converters heat (e.g. from solar irradiation or combustion processes) can be directly transferred into electricity. We aim to solve materials problems, which limit the application of alternative solid energy converters at present.

The understanding of current catalytic systems  and the development of novel catalysts based on nanostructured noble metal-doped and -free perovskite-type materials in energy related topics is the goal of the catalysis group. Additionally, the surface chemistry of photocatalysts and solid acid and base green catalysts for fine chemistry will be the focus of spectroscopic studies. Quantitative inorganic elemental analysis of solid materials is a prerequisite to describe a functional material and will further be an object of research for industry support, energy- and environmental technologies and support from Empa’s research programs.

Solid State Chemistry

• Development of Thermoelectric Oxides for potential solar and geothermal applications
• Thermoelectric Oxide Module Demonstrators (TOM) (in german)
• Structure and Properties of Oxynitride Perovskites
• Plasma Enhanced Anionic Substitutions
• Noble metal free car exhaust gas catalysts
• Substitutional Effects in Ionic Solids
• The Reversible Alkaline Fuel Cell

Inorganic Solid State Analysis

• PM10 emission factors of abrasion particles from road traffic
• PM 10 emissions from rail traffic
• Determination of trace elements in ambient air
• Heavy metals in Swiss Forest Soils
• E-learning projects

Heterogeneous Catalysis

• In situ spectroscopy of solid-gas and solid-liquid catalytic processes
• Nanostructured perovskites for catalytic exhaust treatment
• Novel preparation methods for perovskite-based catalysts
• Characterization of nanostructured supported noble metals
• Ageing processes of automotive catalysts
• Photocatalysis for hydrogen production and waste abatement
• Acid/base catalysis for environmentally friendly liquid phase processes