Atom Probe Tomography & 3D-Nanoanalytics

The research in Prof. Felfer’s group can be broadly summarized as instrument and technique/method development to enable new processing methods, multi-scale characterization and understanding of industrially relevant materials. We use our expertise atom probe tomography (APT), computer aided design (CAD), field ion microscopy (FIM), focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM) and extrusion 3D printing to study a variety of topics and material classes important to the automotive, energy, geoscience and aerospace fields. If a research question cannot be answered with currently available characterization tools, we design and build components, testing stations, transfer systems and sometimes even whole instruments to make it possible. Our current research fields include hydrogen embrittlement, using FIM to study nanoparticles, cost-effective 3D printing of metals and the characterization of energy materials (e.g. fuel cells, catalysts).

Prof. Dr. Peter Felfer

Group Leader Atom Probe Tomography & 3D-Nanoanalytics

Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Chair of General Materials Properties

Mehrpad Monajem, M. Sc.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Chair of General Materials Properties

Nora Vorlaufer

Doktorandin

Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Chair of General Materials Properties

Benedict Ott, M. Sc.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Chair of General Materials Properties

Jan-Oliver Hücking, M. Sc.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Chair of General Materials Properties

Hydrogen (H) is an element that plays an increasingly important role in the production and efficient usage of energy. Besides its direct use as an energy source, it influences the way we produce and consume energy decisively in an indirect way; In high-strength materials (Rm > 1000 MPa), the usability and service life is regularly limited by H embrittlement, leading to failures which are notoriously hard to predict.
→ more information

Outstanding potential of nanoparticle (NP) atom probe tomography (APT) analysis has been obvious from the first publication [1]. Still, data fidelity has not reached up to its potential of 3D structural and chemical analysis with atomic resolution [2]. One of the main reasons for this is that sample fabrication is challenging: Starting with a sample being smaller than an APT sample tip (100 nm diameter) requires additive production approaches rather than the well-established substractive production approaches (e.g. FIB-lift-out [3]).
→ more information

Energy materials play a crucial role in the storage and conversion of nonrenewable as well as renewable energy, the demand for the latter of which will only grow in the coming years. Electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and electrolyzers will play vital roles in facilitating the transition in the energy and chemical industries, as they enable production of electricity, hydrogen or chemical compounds that are feedstocks for many processes.
→ more information

Atom Probe Tomography (APT) is a unique material characterisation method that can provide three-dimensional imaging and chemical composition at the atomic level [1]. The application of this technique has expanded beyond high-strength structural alloys and semiconductor materials to catalyst nanoparticles and organic metal frameworks [2].
→ more information

Chemical energy carriers are indispensable for achieving decarbonization of the economy. Hydrogen is particularly suitable here due to its high gravimetric energy density. However, the mechanical properties of many materials are negatively affected by hydrogen. Especially in the strength range above 1000 MPa, a significant loss of strength is possible for steels. This strength range, however, is particularly relevant for mobile and stationary energy systems with compressed hydrogen or also corrosion-induced hydrogen.
→ more information