@article{StollenwerkDoehringFreudenmannetal.2021, author = {Stollenwerk, Manfred and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Freudenmann, Dominic and Sch{\"a}fer, Tobias and Stadtm{\"u}ller, Johannes and R{\"o}cke, Nicole}, title = {Sputtered highly effective iridium catalysts: a new approach for green satellite propulsion}, series = {Journal of Materials Science}, volume = {2021}, journal = {Journal of Materials Science}, number = {2021}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-021-05897-z}, pages = {1 -- 11}, year = {2021}, abstract = {This work demonstrated the large potential of sputtered iridium metal for catalytic reactions shown by the example of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for space propulsion systems. For this purpose, iridium was coated onto Al2O3 pellets by a sputter process under varied process parameters. Depending on previously selected parameters, the obtained metal-loaded pellets offer closed- and/or open-shell structures. Catalytic productivity of these first-generation iridium-sputtered catalysts was estimated in laboratory experiments and compared to platinum-loaded pellets. Under optimized sputter-process conditions, the reactivity is significantly improved compared to the platinum-impregnated pellets. The better catalytic productivity can be explained by the increased active surface area of the iridium layers on the pellets. The surface morphology and the microstructure of the iridium coating can be actively controlled by the sputter pressure. The results are in accordance with the sputtering process pressure tendency described by the Thornton Structure-Zone Model.}, subject = {Iridium}, language = {en} } @misc{DoehringStollenwerkStadtmuelleretal.2021, author = {D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Stollenwerk, Manfred and Stadtm{\"u}ller, Johannes and Freudenmann, Dominic and R{\"o}cke, Nicole}, title = {Nanostructured iridium catalysts for effective hydrogen peroxide decomposition}, series = {EuroNanoForum}, volume = {2021}, journal = {EuroNanoForum}, organization = {TH Aschaffenburg}, pages = {1}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The EU intends to restrict the use of critical fuels in space propulsion systems. These propellants like hydrazine are chemically aggressive, toxic and carcinogenic. Space propulsion of the future should be environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and easy to handle. Aschaffenburg University and DLR are currently developing environmentally friendly technologies for future satellite engines. Thereby rocket-grade hydrogen peroxide, which is foreseen as a substitute, is converted to uncritical water vapour and oxygen by an exothermic catalytic reaction on nanostructured iridium layers. The resulting hot gases provide the required amount of thrust. The iridium catalyst layers are coated onto ceramic pellets, using RF magnetron sputtering technology. The catalytic functionality was tested afterwards at the chemical laboratories of DLR. First experimental results show a significantly higher catalytic activity for nanostructured iridium surfaces than for smoother crystalline layers.}, subject = {Iridium}, language = {en} } @article{WisselFreudenmannCichockaetal.2024, author = {Wissel, Julian and Freudenmann, Dominic and Cichocka, Magdalena Ola and P{\"o}hl, Almut and Stephan-Hofmann, Iris and R{\"o}cke, Nicole and P{\´e}rez, Nicol{\´a}s and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Stadtm{\"u}ller, Johannes and Stollenwerk, Manfred}, title = {Microstructure of highly effective platinum-iridium alloys as catalysts for hydrogen peroxide decomposition}, series = {Research on Chemical Intermediates}, volume = {50}, journal = {Research on Chemical Intermediates}, number = {11}, publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, issn = {0922-6168}, doi = {10.1007/s11164-024-05412-4}, pages = {5385 -- 5397}, year = {2024}, subject = {Iridium}, language = {en} }