Welcome to the Hess research group

Where catalysts, gas sensors, and batteries meet physical chemistry

Want to join our team?

We are offering a PhD position in Operando Spectroscopy on Environmental Gas Sensors! Please find detailed information

here

Our mission:

The laboratory of surface chemistry and in situ/ operando spectroscopy, led by Prof. Christian Hess, is a multidisciplinary research group that works on understanding the mode of operation of catalysts, gas sensors and batteries at a molecular level. Novel spectroscopic approaches are developed and applied to the characterization of materials under working conditions (operando approach). Relations between (defect) structure and activity/selectivity are studied by combining a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Controlled synthesis as well as nanoscale structuring using atomic-layer deposition enable the design of surfaces for applications in catalysis and alternative energy.

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Highly Ranked Scholar

Prof. Dr. Christian Hess is honored as a ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholar in Spectroscopy.

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What's new?

April 28, 2025

A warm welcome to our new Masterstudent!

Fabian Schwarz started his Masterthesis on April 28, 2025. Under the supervision of M.Sc. Jan Welzenbach he'll be working on spatially resolved analysis of iron molybdate catalysts.

March 21, 2025

Congratulations to Sven Bein on Successfully Defending His Bachelor Thesis!

Under the supervision of M.Sc. Johannes Pfeiffer, Sven Bein completed his thesis defense on March 21, 2025.

March 19, 2025

Bunsen-Tagung 2025

Research Group Hess Featured with Three Presentations at Bunsen-Tagung 2025

March 14, 2025

Hess research group @ 58. Jahrestreffen Deutscher Katalytiker

Posters and Poster Workshop – congrats to Hannah for her award!

March 14, 2025

Enhancing the selectivity of oxidation reactions with CO2

Check out our new mechanistic study on CO2-assisted selective propane oxidation:

January 15, 2025

Welcome, Peter!

We warmly welcome Dr. Peter Amann, who will succeed Dipl.-Ing. Karl Kopp as he is about to embark on his well-deserved retirement.

More news

More about us:

ScienceSlam Jan Welzenbach (in 360° – please adjust camera)

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Physikalische Chemiker und ihre LASER – Was machen die da eigentlich?