The focus of our research is the tailoring of the inorganic-organic interface in hybrid materials and nanocomposites with special interest in a controlled design of inorganic building blocks such as nanoparticles. The large interface area in these materials requires a specific knowledge in tailoring the chemistry between inorganic and organic moieties. The controlled design of the interface allows the induction of new properties in the final material. Our research is highly interdisciplinary between the fields of inorganic, organic, and polymer chemistry and utilizes a broad spectrum of techniques like X-ray diffraction, common spectroscopic methods, thermo-analytical methods or mechanical tests.

Associated work groups:

Speciation and elemental analyis  
(apl. Prof. Dr. Ralf Kautenburger)
The research group WASTe (Working group for Analytical Speciation Techniques) is mainly focused on element trace and speciation analysis as well as on the development of innovative coupling techniques

Junior Research Group 
(PD Dr. André Schäfer)

Environmental Analysis Unit

News

19.-22.06.2025 | Elias Gießelmann und Oliver Janka nehmen am 52.ten Festkörperseminar in Hirschegg teil

Elias Gießelmann und Oliver Janka haben auch in diesem Jahr wieder am Festkörperseminar in Hirschegg teilgenommen. Elias Gießelmann hat dabei seine Forschungsergebnisse in einem Vortrag mit dem Titel “Frank-Kasper-Phasen im ternären System Hf-Nb-Al” vorgestellt.

 

30 April 2025 | New publication on the occasion of Prof. Gordon Miller's 65th birthday published in the ZAAC

In a joint publication by the UdS and the University of Münster, Elias Gießelmann was able to show that Hf6Al7 and the ternary coloration variant Hf4.44(1)Nb1.56(1)Al7 exist. The compounds were produced from the elements and examined in a variety of ways by X-ray and spectroscopy. The publication was dedicated to Prof. Gordon Miller on his 65th birthday.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zaac.202500044

30 April 2025 | Stefan Engel successfully defends his dissertation

As part of his doctoral thesis, Stefan Engel examined electron transfer in intermetallic aluminium compounds from both an exploratory and a systematic preparative perspective. In the process, he took a closer look at selected ternary systems M–T–Al, which have not been very well studied so far, and synthesised a large number of new compounds. 

Congratulations on your successful doctorate! 

Since the beginning of May 2025, he has been at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center in Garching in the Advanced Materials Group under the direction of PD Dr. Ralph Gilles.

23-27 March 2025 | Elias Gießelmann and Oliver Janka presented their research at the ACS Spring Meeting in San Diego, CA, USA

Elias Gießelmann and Oliver Janka presented their research results at the ACS Spring Meeting in San Diego, CA, USA. Elias Gießelmann spoke about "Oxidation Behavior of Intermetallic Aluminum Compounds", Oliver Janka about "Intermetallic aluminium compounds – structures and properties".

 

14 Jan 2025 | Intermetallic phases can be selectively sulphidated and incorporated into Silicon-based polymers.

In a joint study by the groups of Prof. Kickelbick (UdS), Prof. Jörn Schmedt auf der Günne (University of Siegen), staff of the University of Münster and PD Dr. Janka (UdS), it was shown that the intermetallic compounds CaAl2, SrAl2 and EuAl2 can be selectively converted into the sulphides MAl2S4. EuAl2S4 shows a green luminescence and can be incorporated into so-called "melting gels", which protect the material from moisture and allow shaping. Detailed NMR investigations were carried out in Siegen, magnetic and Mößbauer spectroscopic investigations in Münster.

The study was published in the journal Chemistry of Materials erschienen. Link to the article

Events

03.07.2025 | Vortragsankündigung - Paradise Lost? Abfall, Recycling und Nachhaltigkeit in der Frühen Neuzeit

Am 03.07.2025 trägt Frau Prof. Dr. Franziska Neumann aus den Geschichtswissenschaften der  TU Braunschweig zum Thema “Paradise Lost? Abfall, Recycling und Nachhaltigkeit in der Frühen Neuzeit” vor.

Hier die Ankündigung und die Vorstellung von Frau Prof. Dr. Neumann.

April 8, 2025| Lecture series Spaceship Earth Summer Term 2025

programme (in German)

04.04.2025 | GDCh Lectures Summer Term 2025

programme

March 14, 2025 | Inorganic Chemistry Colloquium Summer Term 2025

programme