Hydrogen Electrode for Membrane Water Electrolyzers with Low Gas Crossover
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer are considered a for the Energy Transition to produce green hydrogen for fuel cell-based mobility, industrial processes, and seasonal storage. Platinum group metals (PGMs) are conventionally used as catalysts for electrode reactions due to their outstanding catalytic activity and chemical stability in the harsh acidic environment of the cell. Commercial carbon-supported platinum (Pt/C) electrocatalysts remains a state-of-the-art choice for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on the cathode side of the cell. While a high Pt loading between 0.5 and 1.0 mgPt/cm2 is commonly used today, a reduction of the Pt loading to below 0.05 mgPt/cm2 is desired to reduce the cost of PGM usage in megawatt-scale PEM water electrolysis systems. In addition, in connection with the trend towards the use of thinner membranes (<0.1 mm), gas crossover through the membrane from the cathode to the anode side can lead to the formation of an explosive gas mixture in the anode product stream. In this study, we varied the design parameters for the cathode catalyst layer to reduce the Pt loading to 0.025 mg/cm2 while at the same time minimizing the rate of hydrogen crossover to the anode.
Novel Photoresist Chemistry Enables Lithography Approaching Angstrom-Scale Resolution
Photoresist materials are crucial in the manufacturing of computer chips, where the circuits are initially printed in the photoresist using photolithography. As the demand for smaller and more precise circuitry in computer chips grows, photoresists must resolve features with smaller sizes and higher density.
PSI at the Sustainable Switzerland Forum
The Sustainable Switzerland Forum, the sustainability conference organized by NZZ Connect, is taking place today in Bern, with PSI participating as a partner.
Controlling magnetic waves in a spin liquid
Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have shown that excitation of a spin liquid with intense THz pulses causes spins to appear and align within less than a picosecond. This induced coherent state causes a magnetic field to form inside the material, which is detected using ultrashort X-ray pulses at the X-ray Free Electron Laser SwissFEL.
“Magic” element challenges current model of nucleosynthesis
Surprising measurements lead to the discovery of an unknown process.
Novel Photoresist Chemistry Enables Lithography Approaching Angstrom-Scale Resolution
Photoresist materials are crucial in the manufacturing of computer chips, where the circuits are initially printed in the photoresist using photolithography. As the demand for smaller and more precise circuitry in computer chips grows, photoresists must resolve features with smaller sizes and higher density. One of the factors determining the ultimate resolution in lithography is the molecular size/mass of the photoresists.
Chiral kagome superconductivity modulations with residual Fermi arcs
Superconductivity involving finite-momentum pairing can lead to spatial-gap and pair-density modulations, as well as Bogoliubov Fermi states within the superconducting gap. However, the experimental realization of their intertwined relations has been challenging. Here we detect chiral kagome superconductivity modulations with residual Fermi arcs in KV3Sb5 and CsV3Sb5 using normal and Josephson scanning tunnelling microscopy down to 30 millikelvin with a resolved electronic energy difference at the microelectronvolt level. We observe a U-shaped ...
Einführungswoche 2024
Willkommen am PSI: Der Start für unsere neuen Lernenden und Praktikant/innen!
Room temperature magnetoelectric magnetic spirals by design
Frustrated magnets with ordered magnetic spiral phases that spontaneously break inversion symmetry have received significant attention from both fundamental and applied sciences communities due to the experimental demonstration that some of these materials can couple to the lattice and induce electric polarization. In these materials, the common origin of the electric and magnetic orders guarantees substantial coupling between them, which is highly desirable for applications ...
Magnetostructural Coupling at the Néel Point in YNiO3 Single Crystals
The recent discovery of superconductivity in infinite layer thin films and bulk Ruddlesden–Popper nickelates has stimulated the investigation of other predicted properties of these materials. Among them, the existence of magnetism-driven ferroelectricity in the parent compounds RNiO3 (R = 4f lanthanide and Y) at the onset of the Néel order, TN, has remained particularly elusive. Using diffraction techniques, we reveal here the existence of magnetostriction at TN in bulk YNiO3 single crystals. Interestingly, the associated lattice anomalies ...
Where should hydrogen be produced in the future?
Researchers at PSI have been looking into where the hydrogen for a future hydrogen economy should be produced and what impact this energy carrier will have on the environment.
Elusive multiferroicity in RNiO3 perovskites
In our recent paper we examined YNiO3 and proved that the RNiO3 type material known for its metal-insulator transition is in fact a type II multiferroic. We provide direct evidence of an electric-field-driven switch of the noncolliear magnetic state finally confirming the proposed type II multiferroic nature of YNiO3.
New location of PSI User Office
You will find us easily at our new location in building WBBC at the front area of the PSI West parking lot.
Synthesekurs im Ausbildungsbetrieb
Während des Kurses stiessen wir auf einige Herausforderungen, wie die Komplexität bestimmter Reaktionen und die präzise Durchführung der analytischen Methoden.
Researchers show that computer chips have the potential to become even smaller
Researchers at PSI reach unprecedented 5 nanometres half pitch resolution with EUV lithography.
Beam test of the scintillating fibres at MAMI un Mainz
The Mu3e scintillating fibre detector was tested using the electron beam of MAMI at the institute of nuclear physics in Mainz. The MuPix pixel detectors were used as a refernce.
PSI day-care centre returns to the campus
The new building is ready. From the beginning of August 2024, PSI children are once again being looked after on campus.
Sources of smog in Beijing identified
Researchers at PSI are investigating the wide range of causes underlying smog in Beijing.
Move the soft mode by electric fields in quantum paraelectric SrTiO3
PSI Researcher used inelastic neutron scattering to show how collective lattice vibrations can be controlled by electric fields. These results indicate that different eigenmodes can couple in field in this incipient ferroelectric.
Book on neutron imaging
A new book on neutron imaging was recently published, written by editors and contributors from LNS. The book has a focus on applications and covers hard and soft matter.
‘What can I do?’ vs ‘What do I want to do?’
‘Which jobs can I apply for with my background in X, or which companies are looking for this background?’ is a question that comes up in career counseling every now and then. Clearly, having to find a job that fits is a big choice. What makes it even harder, is that many competencies that are important requirements for a future job are just taken for granted in academia.
PSI and Metafuels: Pioneers for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
PSI focuses on sustainable aviation: In collaboration with the climate start-up Metafuels, PSI is developing the aerobrew technology to produce sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) from renewable energy sources.
Lehrlingsevent Gewerbeverein 2024
Trotz EM waren viele an diesem grossartigen Anlass dabei!
New X-ray world record: Looking inside a microchip with 4 nanometre precision
Researchers at PSI have succeeded in imaging the spatial structure of a computer chip with a record resolution of 4 nanometres using X-rays.
Move the soft mode by electric fields in quantum paraelectric SrTiO3
PSI Researcher used inelastic neutron scattering to show how collective lattice vibrations can be controlled by electric fields. These results indicate that different eigenmodes can couple in field in this incipient ferroelectric.
Uniquely precise: New value for the half-life of samarium-146
Researchers at PSI and the Australian National University have re-determined the half-life of samarium-146 with great precision.
Sustainable aviation fuel from the PSI campus
In collaboration with climate start-up Metafuels, a pilot plant for the production of sustainable aviation fuel is being set up on the PSI campus.
Conventional superconductivity in the doped kagome superconductor Cs(V0.86Ta0.14)3Sb5 from vortex lattice studies
A hallmark of unconventional superconductors is a complex electronic phase diagram where intertwined orders of charge-spin-lattice degrees of freedom compete and coexist. While the kagome metals such as CsV3Sb5 also exhibit complex behavior, involving coexisting charge density wave order and superconductivity, much is unclear about the microscopic origin of the superconducting pairing. We study the vortex lattice in the superconducting state of Cs(V0.86Ta0.14)3Sb5, where the Ta-doping suppresses charge order and enhances superconductivity. Using small-angle neutron scattering ...
Digitalisation: a blessing for the energy transformation
Researchers at PSI have calculated the influence of digitalisation on energy consumption.
Swiss Technology Award
As part of the annual Swiss Innovation Platform "open-i" in Zurich in November, the "Swiss Technology Award" will once again be presented this year in three categories.