Inorganic Environmental Chemistry

Our areas of competence:
Inorganic synthesis/ structural chemistry Theoretical Chemistry High temperature corrosion Atmospheric corrosion Combustion chemistry Heavy metals in the environment Structure and Dynamics in Functional Oxides
 Example of important applications:
· Fuel cells · Green electricity · Combustion of biomass · Materials for very high temperatures · Light materials for vehicles · CO2 capture ( Chemical-Looping Combustion) · Material challenges in Nuclear power plants · Mercury in the environment

The group develops new understanding of chemical processes at the gas-surface interface, as well as transport processes in the solid state. The application areas include catalysis, corrosion and superconductivity. We investigate the impact of doping graphene on what ways and how strongly different molecules bind to the surface as well as how this binding affects the material's chemical, electronic and spectroscopic properties. Electro-catalytic water splitting for the electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide and molecular hydrogen at both binary precious metal alloys and transition metal oxides are examples of our applications in catalysis. In addition, the group describes corrosion of load-bearing alloys under varying chemical conditions. At high temperatures exhaust gases as well as nitrogen act corrosively and often switching between reducing and oxidizing conditions. Such is the case for water itself. Detailed studies of water acting oxidizing agents include formation of oxygen vacancies at the metal / oxide interface, vacancy-, ion-, and electron transport in bulk oxide and oxygen vacancies annihilations, producing molecular hydrogen in transition metal ions decorated hydroxylated oxide / oxide interfaces. We also contribute to investigations on the roles water vapor has on chromium evaporation from stainless steels during oxidation at elevated temperatures. Moreover, we contribute complementary understanding for how electrical conductivity without resistance, so-called superconductivity, emerges from the interplay between chemical and physical properties in the solid state aiming at raising the temperature at which this phenomenon occurs. The group is dedicated to improving the energy efficiencies of chemical processes, to developing strategies to mitigate corrosion and to lossless energy transfer. Our studies are conducted in close cooperation with the relevant application areas and are based on heavy quantum chemical electronic structure calculations mostly employing density functional theory. On-going projects include: · Chemically modified graphene for electrocatalysis and sensor applications · Oxidation, hydrolysis, and fates of hydrogen during oxidation of load bearing alloys by water · Pathways for absorption and transport of carbon and nitrogen in oxide scales of high temperature alloys · Quantum Chemical conceptual understanding of superconductivity - origins and impact of electronic inhomogeneities, protected multi-gaped multi-band normal state, superatom representation, "entropy-entropy" compensation, formulation and validation · A Coulomb hole augmented Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field approach to Ensemble DFT

​HTC is a national research center focused on high temperature corrosion. The aim is to help resolve today’s critical corrosion issues and provide the tools needed to address the many new challenges in the high-temperature materials field brought on by the development of a sustainable energy system. HTC is financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, Chalmers and 22 member companies. For more information, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.htc.chalmers.se/" target="_blank" title="High temperature corrosion">visit HTC´s website.</a>

Our research, in the area of experimental materials physics, focuses on investigations of structure-dynamics-property relations in functional - mostly energy related - materials. In addition to our traditional focus on proton and hydride-ion conductors, which show potential to be used in future energy storage and conversion devices, we are becoming increasingly interested in the fundamental aspects of luminescence in inorganic phosphors with potential to be used in next-generation phosphor-converted lighting solutions. Since some years back, we are as well performing research on organometal halide perovskites, with a view towards their application in future solar cells and light-emitting diodes. A unifying theme in almost every aspect of this research is to investigate the mechanistic aspects of local structure and dynamics and to correlate these fundamental materials properties to the functional, macroscopic, properties of each material. The primary tools to this end involve the use (and development) of a broad range of techniques available at large-scale neutron and photon sources, such as the Institut Laue-Langevin (France), ISIS Neutron Facility (U.K.), NIST Center for Neutron Research and the Spallation Neutron Source (U.S.), J-PARC (Japan), FELIX free electron laser (Netherlands), Advanced Photon Source (U.S.), and DESY (Germany). Our experiments at large-scale facilities are complemented by experimental studies at Chalmers, which include the use of, e.g., vibrational spectroscopy, diffraction, and an array of optical techniques, often complemented by theoretical studies by first-principles computer simulations.
Please see our poster describing some of our research.​​​
For further information, do not hesitate to contact Maths.

​Our group has pioneered the systematic investigation of the chemistry and microstructure of atmospheric corrosion, using laboratory exposures under well-controlled conditions and using a large array of methods, including both in-situ and post analysis approaches. We focus on the interplay of humidity and reactive substances in the atmosphere that lead to break-down of the air-formed film on metals and investigate the relation between the microstructure of the material and corrosion. To understand the sequence of events that result in corrosion, we investigate both on the atomic scale, the nanoscale. the microscale and the macroscale. The new knowledge is used to find new approaches for corrosion mitigation. Materials-wise, we presently mainly focus on magnesium and aluminum and their alloys. In addition, we have long experience doing atmospheric corrosion research on other metals (zinc, lead, copper, steel) as well as on natural stones. Atmospheric corrosion research has many application areas, including enhancing the corrosion properties of light-weight alloys (increasing the range of electric cars) and in the conservation of our cultural heritage.

Our research focuses on metallic materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) and Electrolyzers (SOEC). SOFC allows for the efficient conversion of chemical energy into electricity while SOEC is suitable to produce green hydrogen or synthetic fuels at high efficiency. In both technologies stainless steel plates (interconnects) are used. The interconnects significantly contribute to system cost and degradation. In our research we investigate the underlying degradation and corrosion phenomena, these include protective and accelerated oxidation of the steel in different environments, Cr (VI) evaporation and increase in electronic resistance. Based upon our understanding of said mechanisms we also develop mitigating strategies by protective coatings or other treatments

Environmental Inorganic Chemistry 2

Environmental Inorganic Chemistry 1

Industrial Materials Recycling

Nuclear Chemistry

Energy and materials

Wilhelmsson´s research group

Andréassons Research group

Albinsson´s Research Group

Abrahamsson´s research group

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Öhrström´s researchgroup

Chemistry and Biochemistry

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Forest Products and Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Evenäs´ Research Group

Anderssons Research Group

Müller´s Research group

Wang´s research group

Dahlin´s research group

Luneau´s Research group

Giovannitti´s research group

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Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Inorganic Environmental Chemistry

Theoretical Chemistry

HTC - High Temperature Corrosion

Structure and Dynamics in Solid-State Materials for Energy Applications

Atmospheric corrosion

SOFC/SOEC

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