A new concept makes it possible to identify the most promising among an abundance of possible element combinations.
A new concept makes it possible to identify the most promising among an abundance of possible element combinations.
The success of the energy transition depends significantly on efficient electrocatalysts, for instance for fuel cells or the reduction of CO2. Special alloys made from five or more elements are promising candidates. A team of researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has developed a concept in order to quickly screen an abundance of possible element combinations to identify which are worth optimising. It helps to directly ascertain the potential of a possible alloy. The team reports in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition on 22 December 2019.
Efficient catalysts made from inexpensive and available elements
The researchers’ hopes with regard to new catalysts made from inexpensive and available elements rest on what are known as complex solid solutions, also called high-entropy alloys. They consist of five or more elements that are homogeneously mixed and the diverse, complex interactions of which enable fine adjustments of the relevant properties. Importantly, it is not only the properties of the individual elements that are crucial but above all their interaction. “This opens up a wide range of otherwise unachievable possibilities in order to simultaneously optimise price and performance for possible applications,” says Professor Wolfgang Schuhmann from the Center for Electrochemical Sciences at RUB.
Read more at Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB)
Image: Alan Savan (left) and Tobias Löffler analyze high entropy alloys. CREDIT: RUB, Marquard
