Chair of Materials and Surface Engineering
Materials and Surface Engineering

External doctoral student receives award for his research


During the ZVO Surface Technology Days 2022, organised by the Zentralverband Oberflächentechnik e.V. (Central Association of Surface Technology), Dr Johannes Näther received the Young Talent Award of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Galvano- und Oberflächentechnik e.V. (German Society for Electroplating and Surface Technology) 2022. Dr Näther completed his doctorate while working at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Chemnitz University of Technology as part of a Cooperative doctoral procedure . This recognition of his achievements is commendable and underlines the relevance of the doctoral project. Congratulations!

Professor Thomas Lampke, Head of the WOT Chair at TU Chemnitz, currently supervises 26 doctoral students. 10 doctoral students are „externals“ who are gaining further scientific qualifications from industry or by means of cooperative doctoral procedures. Cooperative doctorates allow academics from a university of applied sciences (HAW) to obtain a doctorate under the co-supervision of a university professor at his or her faculty. Through the common interest of the participants and regular dialogue, e.g. in the WOT Doctoral Seminar this approach is very successful.

Dr Näther received the prize for his research work on the electrodeposition of iridium. Iridium is characterised by high hardness, corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity. Furthermore, iridium/iridium oxide has a very high catalytic activity and longevity for the oxygen formation reaction and plays an important role in polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis (PEM electrolysis). Iridium is therefore very interesting as a contact or catalyst material, especially as a contact or catalyst layer against the background of the targeted use of resources. A commercial implementation of electroplating iridium deposition has not been possible so far because iridium electrolytes were missing. Dr. Näther's work started here. Dr. Näther succeeded in depositing iridium layers from aqueous sodium hexabromoiridiate(III) electrolytes and determining their application properties. This opened up potential areas of application for thin iridium layers for plug contacts in the electronics sector or for electrodeposited iridium nanoparticles for PEM electrolysis.

Dr Näther's excellent work can be found at the following link:
https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:ch1-qucosa2-761604

Photo: Dr Johannes Näther (centre) with Prof. Dr Frank Köster (left, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences) and Prof. Dr habil. Thomas Lampke after the award ceremony at the Leipzig Surface Days of the ZVO [Photo: Sven Hobbiesiefken].

7.11.2022 – Personnel of the professorship ( )

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