Research group: Physical Chemistry of Solids
Head: Werner Sitte
Our research interests concentrate on the Physical Chemistry of ionically conducting materials with respect to their defect chemistry including grain boundaries and interfaces. this includes mass charge transport processes chemical kinetics special attention is paid to th oxygen surface exchange process of mixed conducting oxides. Research focuses on fundamental aspects of ionic materials ( 'Solid State Ionics') and - with respect to application - on novel materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage (especially solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide electrolysis cells) and interfacially controlled electroceramic components.
Werner Sitte
Werner Sitte is Professor of Physical Chemistry at Montanuniversitaet Leoben.He studied Chemistry at Graz University of Technology, from where he received this Ph.D. and professional thesis in Physical Chemistry (Habilitation).
His research interests regard mass and charge transport properties of electroceramic materials in the bulk, at grain boundaries and at interfaces. Research is focussed on fundamental problems of ionic transport as well as on applications of high-temperature fuel and electrolyser cells and electroceramic devices.
Werner Sitte is regular guest researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Department of Joachim Maier, and holds close research cooperations with this institution. He is Associate Editor of Solid State Ionics and regular referee for Solid State Ionics, J. Electroceramics, J. Solid State Electrochemistry, J. Electrochemical Society, Fuel Cells, and others as well as referee for national and international science funds. He is author/co-author of 140 publications in peer-reviewed international scientific journals, co-editor of two books and holds 2 patents.
Aims
Synthesis and structural, electrochemical, and thermochemical characterization of electroactivematerials and modelling approaches. Fundamental understanding of mass and charge transport properties of ionic and mixed ionic-electronic conducting materials including grain boundaries and interfaces.
Currently, the following subjects are treated in various projects, partly with external partners:
Oxygen surface exchange kinetics and transport of mixed ionic-electronic conducting oxides Ionic conductors for oxygen, hydrogen, and sodium
Transport along grain boundaries and processes at interfaces
Fundamental aspects of solid state diffusion
Modelling approaches (defect chemical modelling: defect concentrations and electric potential profiles by finite differences calculations, modelling of impedance spectra) conducting materials including grain boundaries and interfaces