Research

Our research group has 15 years of experience in the design and manufacture of inorganic functional nanomaterials. Within our application-driven approach, we employ nanoparticle production and modification to achieve precise control over material properties. Our deep understanding enables us to modify and optimize the performance of our materials for applications ranging from heterogeneous catalysis to energy storage.

Ancient DNA is preserved in fossils for over thousands to millions of years. This natural way of DNA preservation inspired our encapsulation of DNA into glass particles. Within the particles, the DNA is hermetically sealed and protected from severe environmental attack, such as from reactive oxygen spieces and high temperatures. Various applications from anti-counterfeit tagging to analytical sensors and data storage are currently under investigation.

We explore several innovative processes to address current and future energy challenges. Our current work focuses on hydrogen as an energy carrier, including its production via electrolysis and its use in decentralized seasonal energy storage. In particular, we study the steam-iron process, which enables the safe long-term storage of hydrogen in the form of iron powder.

The next generation of diagnostic devices will consist of portable point-of-care (POC) devices. Current diagnostic procedures heavily rely on manual steps and on large, expensive machines, making them inaccessible in the field or in economically underdeveloped regions. Our projects focus on the development of single-step platform technologies that enable a wide range of applications with short times-to-result and don’t require any periphery.