Nanocomposite Materials

Scope

Our topical group is working on application-relevant and fundamental topics of thin film research. One focus consists in the development of solar-selective coatings for solar thermal power plants. These coatings have to demonstrate solar selectivity and high temperature stability. They might be applied in the next generation of solar power plants and hence, contribute to manage the energy transition. Another main activity in application-relevant research fields are dry-lubricant coatings, which are important in the context of sustainable energy and material use.

Basic research of our group is dedicated to transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), 2D materials and Si nanostructures. In the field of TCOs we are working on the characterization and control of defects, which have crucial effects on the transport, electronic, and optical properties. Examples for the two other topics are metal-induced crystallization of carbon and nanostructure formation in thin carbon and silicon films. For our research we are using a cluster tool, which comprises a unique combination of in situ processing and analysis techniques.

Research Topics

• Solar selective coatings for the energy transition: design, in situ characterization & modification, and environmental testing
• Analysis of tribological coatings for combustion engines, aerospace applications and cutting tools
• Identification and control of point defects in transparent conductive oxides
• In situ processing and analysis of thin films, 2D materials and nanocomposites
  
  

News

• 2024, 12^th Dec, Successful defense of the B.Sc. thesis entitled "Ramanspektroskopische Untersuchungen von Tantal- und Fluor-dotierten SnO₂-Schichten" by Justus Haag (TU Dresden)
• 2023, 28^th July, Successful defense of the PhD thesis by Frank Lungwitz at TU Chemnitz, Thesis title is "Development of Tantalum-Doped Tin Oxide as New Solar Selective Material for Solar Thermal Power Plants"
• 2023, 27^thJuly, Visit of Prof. Escobar Galindo (University of Sevilla), Seminar talk entitled "Surface engineering solutions for additive manufactured materials"

Selected publications (since 2019)

• F. Munnik, L. Lorenz, F. Härtwig, S. Makowski, M. Krause,
  Ion beam microprobe analysis for friction-induced material transfer processes in ta-C/steel and ta-C/brass pairs,
  Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 557, 165540 (2024)
• R. Escobar-Galindo, I. Heras, E. Guillén, F. Lungwitz, G. Rincon-Llorente, F. Munnik, I. Azkona, M. Krause,
  Exceptional high-temperature in-air stable solar absorber coatings based on aluminium titanium oxynitride nanocomposites,
  Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 271, 112865 (2024), DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2024.112865
• M. Krause, M. Hoppe, C. Romero-Muniz, A. Mendez, F. Munnik, A. Garcia-Valenzuela, C. Schimpf, D. Rafaja, R.Escobar-Galindo,
  Exceptionally high-temperature in-air stability of transparent conductive oxide tantalum-doped tin dioxide,
  J. Mat. Chem. A, 11, 17686 (2023), DOI: 10.1039/d3ta00998j
• D. Cavaleiro, F. Munnik, M. Krause, E. Carbo, P.J. Ferreira, A. Cavaleiro, F. Fernandes,
  The role of interfaces and morphology on silver diffusion in hard coatings,
  Surface and Interfaces 41, 103182 (2023)
• K. Niranjan, M. Krause, F. Lungwitz, F. Munnik, R. Hübner, S.P. Pemmasani, R. Escobar-Galindo, H.C. Barshilia,
  WAlSiN-based solar-selective coating stability-study under heating and cooling cycles in vacuum up to 800 °C using in situ Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry,
  Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 255, 112305 (2023)
• F. Härtwig, L. Lorenz, S. Makowski, M. Krause, C. Habenicht, A.F. Lasagni,
  Low-Friction of ta-C Coatings Paired with Brass and Other Materials under Vacuum and Atmospheric Conditions,
  Materials 15, 2534 (2022)
• R. Escobar-Galindo, M. Krause, K. Niranjan, H. Barshilia,
  Solar selective coatings and materials for high-temperature solar thermal applications,
  in Sustainable Material Solutions for Solar Energy Technologies, Elsevier, 2021, ISBN 9780128215920
• M. Krause, J. Sonnenberg, F. Munnik, J. Grenzer, R. Hübner, A. Garcia-Valenzuela, S. Gemming,
  Formation, structure, and optical properties of copper chromite thin films for high-temperature solar absorbers,
  Materialia 18, 101156 (2021)
• E. Guillén, M. Krause, I. Heras, G. Rincon-Llorente, R. Escobar-Galindo,
  Tailoring Crystalline Structure of Titanium Oxide Films for Optical Applications Using Non-Biased Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc Deposition at Room Temperature,
  Coatings 11, 233 (2021)
• D. Janke, F. Munnik, J. Julin, R. Hübner, J. Grenzer, C. Wüstefeld, S. Gemming, D. Rafaja, M. Krause,
  Directionality of metal-induced crystallization and layer exchange in amorphous carbon/ nickel thin film stacks,
  Carbon 159, 656 – 667 (2020)
• F. Lungwitz, R. Escobar-Galindo, D. Janke, E. Schumann, R. Wenisch, S. Gemming, M. Krause,
  Transparent conductive tantalum doped tin oxide as selectively solar-transmitting coating for high temperature solar thermal applications
  Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 196, 84-93 (2019)