Prof. Dr. Julia Kunze-Liebhäuser

The research focus is the investigation of the solid/liquid interface under reaction conditions; earlier in corrosion science, now in energy conversion and storage, such as electrocatalysis and (ion) battery research. Electrode materials range from single crystalline metal and bimetallic surfaces to compound materials, such as transition metal carbides and oxides that can have planar or nanostructured morpholo­gies. Through the combination of electrochemistry with mainly in-situ analytics, such as electrochemi­cal scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM), electrochemical IR spectroscopy (EC IRRAS), differential electro­chemi­cal mass spectrometry (DEMS), and electrochemical near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (EC-XPS), electrocatalytic activity can be related to the morphology and structure of electrodes, the nature of intermediates and products (online detection) and the chemistry at the interface.

As head of the Institute of Physical Chemistry, I encourage collaboration between the different multi-disciplinary groups. We collaborate with leading theory groups in the field, where expansion towards electrochemistry advances both experimental and theory approaches.