Interfacial Processes

At interfaces (grain boundaries, heterocontacts, surfaces) redistribution of defects and thus of charge carriers occurs, leading to strongly modified electrochemical properties. Transport along and across grain boundaries can be affected in a very different manner. Interfacial and surface reactions also involve the defects and are a necessary step of each solid state chemical reaction.

Research Areas:

• Transport along and across grain boundaries
• Interfacial storage
• Solid-solid- and solid-liquid-interactions in composites
• Solid / gas-interactions for at mixed conductors

Survey papers:

• J. Maier: Ionic Conduction in Space Charge Regions Progress in Solid State Chemistry 23(3), 171–263 (1995). DOI: 10.1016/0079-6786(95)00004-E
• N. Sata, K. Eberman, K. Eberl, and J. Maier: Mesoscopic fast ion conduction in nanometre-scale planar heterostructures Nature 408, 946–949 (2000). DOI: 10.1038/35050047

 Current Projects:

• nano-ionics
• Interface effects on the electrical conductivity of oxide thin films
• Size effects in nanocrystalline SrTiO₃
• Electronic wiring and the defect chemistry of nano-anatase Li_xTiO_2-δ battery electrodes
• space charge effects in Li conducting thin films
• Oxygen exchange reaction on mixed conducting oxides: (Ba,Sr)(Co,Fe)O_3-δ and (Bi,Sr)(Co,Fe)O_3-δ SOFC cathode materials
• DFT-Based Analysis for Oxygen Incorporation Mechanism in Mixed Conducting Perovskites
• Blocking grain boundaries in acceptor-doped BaZrO₃ proton conductors
• Space charge effects at dislocations in TiO₂
• Monte Carlo of percolating networks
• "Soggy sand" electrolytes with mesoporous silica fillers
• Hydrated acidic ionomers and polyelectrolytes for fuel cell applications
• High transference numbers in composite electrolytes