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By summerstudent Alice Rodgers> The annual global carbon dioxide emissions have increased by over three times since the 1960s, and in 2023 they were an estimated 36.8 billion tonnes.1 This is primarily due to the use of fossil fuels as an energy source and therefore in recent years it has become important to find renewable sources of energy. Since the 1990s lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become one of the most important ways of storing energy and have applications in everything from mobile phones to cars. However, lithium is a limited resource making the supply chain of LIBs at risk. Furthermore, there are ethical and environmentalRead More →

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In: Energymaterials, Lightsources, PhDlife

Science produces fascinating images. For two weeks, the most beautiful scientific images were exhibited in the foyer of the BESSY II X-ray source in Berlin-Adlershof. But it’s about much more than aesthetics: Helmholtz Imaging offers a great network that bundles expertise in imaging. Researchers benefit from this unbureaucratically and completely free of charge. Philipp Heuser from Helmholtz Imaging told me exactly what’s behind it during a roadshow at HZB.Read More →

Portrait of Tabitha Amollo

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In: BESSYBeamlineScientists, Conference, Energymaterials, International, International Collaboration, PhDlife, Science Communication

Dr. Tabitha A. Amollo is a researcher and lecturer at Egerton University in Njoro in Kenya. She holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her research interests focus on developing cutting-edge nanomaterials for energy conversion devices including graphene nanomaterials. She published a number of articles in reputable journals. At Egerton University, she is the head of a young team to explore dye-sensitive solar cells, she is a chairperson of the Physics Department, and she coordinates the undergraduate program and gives lectures to undergraduates and postgraduate physics students. Here in Germany, there are not many women in physics. How is itRead More →

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In: Energymaterials

A group of 14 volunteers gathered one week on Zoom. From morning coffee until late in the night, they tackled intricate problems and worked out great solutions based on machine learning for digital twins of batteries or for predicting cracks in materials. “This year, we had the most successful hackathon so far, it was incredible,” says HZB data scientist Gregor Hartmann, who initiated the Hackathon. Many problems in research require a deep understanding of the material as well state of the art knowledge in methods of artificial intelligence. “You need this very close collaboration between the domain scientists and the data scientists, says Gregor Hartmann,Read More →

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by summerstudent Oscar Moreno As a master’s student in chemistry, experiments are the basis of my research. The excitement of running an experiment for the first time and the challenge of trying to explain the results keeps me motivated. Nonetheless, in order to pursue things further, my investigation forced me to work during weekends and many times I found myself preparing reports in my room at midnight. I was not aware my acacemic life had come out of the laboratory and was encroaching on other aspects of my life until one of my advisors stopped me. After seeing me working on Saturdays without pausing, heRead More →

“Laser in Betrieb” or “Laser in Use”. SPV Lab 227/228, Thomas Dittrich, Schwarzschildstr. 8, HZB)

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by summerstudent Nora Jung Sitting in my organic chemistry class two semesters ago, I heard the whispers of a word repeated often amongst my classmates. I was only in my second year of my undergrad and the pressure of finding a research position was a constant reminder in the back of my head. In January of 2022, I applied for the summer research position at HZB and it felt like a step in the right direction, but I was still unsure about what lay ahead. What does it mean to do research? Am I qualified enough? Will I know the right answers?Read More →

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In: Energymaterials, Summerstudents

Far-sighted hydrogen economy During one of the winter nights, while talking in the interior of Granite House, “well lighted with candles, well warmed with coal, after a good dinner”, the settlers of Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island were discussing about the fact that the coal will be entirely consumed. After a roughly estimation, Cyrus Harding, an engineer of great capabilities, concluded that it would happen “for at least two hundred and fifty or three hundred years.” To everyone’s surprise, when he was asked what they will burn instead of coal, he said: “Water”. “Water” cried Pencroft, “water as a fuel for steamers and engines! water toRead More →

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In: Energymaterials, Lightsources

Source: SESAME Thursday, November 23, 2017:  At 10:50 yesterday morning scientists at the pioneering SESAME light source saw First Monochromatic Light through the XAFS/XRF spectroscopy beamline. This signals the start of the laboratory’s experimental programme. The beamline delivers X-ray light that will be used to carry out research in areas ranging from solid state physics to environmental science and archaeology. “After years of preparation, it’s great to see light on target,” said beamline scientist Messaoud Harfouche. “We have a fantastic experimental programme ahead of us, starting with an experiment to investigate heavy metals contaminating soils in the region.” Two beamlines for a start, a third one inRead More →