ZBT scientists Adib Caidi and Amin S. Amin from the University of Duisburg-Essen were honoured with the CENIDE Best Paper Award 2024 in the category “Functional materials for energy applications” for their publication “Key Control Characteristics of Carbon Black Materials for Fuel Cells and Batteries for a Standardised Characterisation of Surface Properties.”
Carbon blacks (CBs, German: Rußmaterialien) are primarily used in electrocatalysis as support materials for nanoparticulate electrocatalysts. The interactions between the CB surface and the catalyst dispersion are complex. The surface properties of the particles impact the electrode layer, influencing the performance and lifespan of fuel cells and batteries.
In their study, the research group examined commercially available CBs, focusing on application-relevant key characteristics (KCCs), including electrical conductivity, surface chemistry, and particle dispersibility. The proposed KCCs can serve as a basis for the characterisation of CBs and as a guide for product design to establish meaningful structure-property relationships.
The paper is freely accessible (Open Access):
Particle & Particle Systems Characterisation – “Key Control Characteristics of Carbon Black Materials for Fuel Cells and Batteries…”
CENIDE Best Paper Award
The Best Paper Award is presented by CENIDE – Centre for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen to recognise the best scientific publications by young researchers from the years 2023 and 2024. The six categories correspond to the six CENIDE research priorities:
• Dynamic processes in solids
• Gas-phase synthesis of nanomaterials
• Catalysis
• Magnetic materials
• Nanomaterials for health
• Functional materials for energy applications
CENIDE is a central research institution of the University of Duisburg-Essen, focusing on the profile area “Nanosciences.”
