Professor Dr. Volker Presser
At the Presser Group, we explore and develop electroactive materials and interfaces for the energy/water nexus. Our electrode materials include nanocarbon, nanoscale hybrid materials, and two-dimensional materials (such as transition metal dichalcogenides or MXene). We apply a variety of synthesis methods, such as chemical, thermal, and physical processes. Some examples are electrospinning, atomic layer deposition, and sol-gel methods. To understand structure/property relations, we use in situ and in operando methods, like X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, or dilatometry.
Our work focusses on the following key applications:
- Electrochemical energy storage based on lithium- or sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, and hybrid devices
- Electrochemical energy storage with redox-electrolytes and conversion-type electrode materials
- Electrochemical desalination by ion electrosorption (capacitive deionization) and charge-transfer materials (Faradaic deionization)
- Tunable ion separation by using battery electrode materials