In cooperation with Texas A&M University, IAM-ET for the first time could simulate and analyze the interfacial layer formation between lithium-metal anodes and liquid electrolytes at molecular resolution, reaching into the µs-scale. The results enhance the understanding of the so-called solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and provide access to new strategies for knowledge-driven design of the SEI. The study was published in Nature Communications.
Link to the publication
For the lecture „Wasserstoff in Materialien: von der Energiespeicherung zur Materialversprödung“ ("Hydrogen in Materials: from Energy Storage to Material Embrittlement") at IAM-WK, Prof. Astrid Pundt receives the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Teaching Award. With faculty teaching awards, the KIT Presidium honors courses that are characterized by new forms of teaching and learning, interdisciplinarity, and high topicality of the imparted expert knowledge.
About 170 colleagues from the different IAM parts met for scientific exchange at the IAM networking seminar in April 2023. After the presentations and at the posters, there were lively discussions, new contacts were made and common topics were identified. By popular demand, this format will be held again in the future.
Geothermal energy not only enables a sustainable supply of electricity and heat, but also, incidentally, regional lithium extraction. KIT researchers - including those from IAM-ESS - and EnBW have produced a lithium ion screen from a lithium-manganese oxide and used it to adsorb lithium from geothermal brines. In the future, using domestic lithium sources can help meet the increasing demand for the light metal, which is indispensable as an energy storage material.
Link to Press Release at KIT
Together with HIU and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, IAM-ESS has developed a new mechanochemical process for the recovery of lithium. Compared to the available metallurgical processes, this process promises higher yields at lower cost and greater sustainability (publication in Nature Communications Chemistry).
Link to Press Release at KIT
In March 2023 Prof. Hoffmann was awarded the Seger Plaque by the German Ceramic Society (DKG) at its annual meeting. The plaque honors personalities who have made outstanding scientific achievements in the field of ceramics.
Astrid Pundt (IAM-WK) was elected chairwoman of the working group of the Metal and Materials Physics (MM) of the German Physical Society (DPG) in the section of condensed method section of the German Physical Society (DPG) and was appointed KIT representative to the Materials Engineering.
Martin Heilmaier (IAM-WK) was elected at the DGM meeting in Darmstadt in the fall as one of the two Presidents of the German Society for Materials Science. The term of office is two years and started in January 2023.
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