Chair of Materials and Surface Engineering
Materials and Surface Engineering
Chair of Materials and Surface Engineering 

Frank Simchen, M.Sc., receives the DGO-Nasser-Kanani Prize 2024 for excellent research work


The DGO Nasser Kanani Prize is awarded annually for special advances in electrochemical surface technology, taking sustainability aspects into account. This year, it honours, among other things, the 2023 publication in the renowned Elsevier journal Electrochimica Acta The research paper „Specification of parasitic electrochemical subprocesses during plasma electrolytic oxidation of magnesium“ by Frank Simchen, Chair of Materials and Surface Technology at Chemnitz University of Technology.

Since his master's thesis in 2015, Frank Simchen has been researching plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), particularly with regard to understanding layer formation mechanisms through the use of complementary diagnostic in-situ methods. He is concerned with the modification of electrolytes in order to form foreign oxides during the PEO of magnesium and at the same time to suppress unfavourable native oxides. Particular attention is paid to the identification of parasitic electrochemical sub-processes that occur during the PEO of magnesium, which are most likely responsible for the morphological deficits of the resulting layers and represent the decisive mechanistic difference to the PEO of aluminium. Understanding these processes provides the necessary basis for achieving an increased current yield by skilfully adapting the electrical process regime while improving the layer morphology and dispensing with toxic chromic and hydrofluoric acid-based electrolyte components. This will make it possible in the future to qualify Mg alloys for the lightweight construction of tribologically and corrosively stressed components in automotive, aerospace and aeronautical engineering.

The award-winning work can be found online at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2023.142858

Dr René Böttcher (TU Ilmenau/Airbus) also received an award for his research work on the separation of aluminium from ionic liquids.

The WOT congratulates both prize winners!

To the DGO press release: https://www.dgo-online.de/aktuelles/detailansicht/dgo-nasser-kanani-preis-in-diesem-jahr-gleich-an-zwei-preistraeger-verliehen

 

Picture: Prof. Dr Nasser Kanani, founder of the prize of the same name, presents the award to Frank Simchen, M.Sc. The award ceremony took place on 15 May 2024 during the 45th Ulm Dialogue, a scientific event organised by the DGO. (Photo: private)

31.5.2024 – Personnel of the professorship ( )

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