Understanding the complexity of a catalyst synthesis: Co-precipitation of mixed Cu,Zn,Al hydroxycarbonate precursors for Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalysts investigated by titration experiments

Co-precipitation of Cu,Zn,(Al) precursor materials is the traditional way of synthesizing Cu/ZnO/(Al2O3) catalysts for industrial methanol synthesis. This process has been investigated by titration experiments of nitrate and formate solutions. It was found that the solidification of the single components proceeds sequentially in case of nitrates: Cu2+ is precipitated at pH 3 and Zn2+ (as well as Al3+) near pH 5. This behavior prevents a homogeneous distribution of all metal species in the initial precipitate upon gradual increase of pH and requires application of the constant pH micro-droplet method. This effect is less pronounced if formate instead of nitrate is used as counter ion. This can be explained by the strong modification of the hydrolysis chemistry of the metal ions due to the presence of formate anions, which act as ligands and buffer. A formate-derived Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst was more active in methanol synthesis compared to a nitrate-derived sample although the same crystallographic phases were present in the precursor after co-precipitation and ageing. The effect of precipitation temperature was studied for the binary CuZn nitrate model system. Increasing the temperature of co-precipitation above 50 °C leads to down-shift of the precipitation pH of Zn2+ by a full unit. Thus, in warm solutions more acidic conditions can be used for complete co-precipitation, while in cold solutions, some Zn2+ may remain dissolved in the mother liquor at the same precipitation pH. The higher limit of temperature is given by the tendency of the initial Cu precipitate towards formation of CuO by oxolation. On the basis of these considerations, the empirically determined optimal pH and temperature conditions of the industrially applied synthesis can be rationalized

Orbital-driven Rashba effect in a binary honeycomb monolayer AgTe

The Rashba effect is fundamental to the physics of two-dimensional electron systems and underlies a variety of spintronic phenomena. It has been proposed that the formation of Rashba-type spin splittings originates microscopically from the existence of orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the Bloch wave functions. Here, we present detailed experimental evidence for this OAM-based origin of the Rashba effect by angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) and two-photon photoemission (2PPE) experiments for a monolayer AgTe on Ag(111). Using quantitative low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) analysis we determine the structural parameters and the stacking of the honeycomb overlayer with picometer precision. Based on an orbital-symmetry analysis in ARPES and supported by first-principles calculations, we unequivocally relate the presence and absence of Rashba-type spin splittings in different bands of AgTe to the existence of OAM

Automated investment services

This paper analyzes automated advisory services, a new business model developed by Fintech start-ups in the USA. The markets for automated advisory services (AAS) in the USA, where it is most established, and in Germany, where the market is still in the infancy stage, are examined and compared. The aim of the paper is to identify the market conditions determining user acceptance of automated advisory services in the USA and comparing the German market conditions to the US market in order to predict consumer acceptance in Germany. The markets are examined using the PEST analysis and Porter´s five forces framework. Recent market data, mainly from online media like online newspapers and studies, is collected and applied to the models. The data reveals that the market conditions for AAS are similar in both markets but in Germany there are some negative factors restraining growth. The second part of the paper is a technology acceptance analysis of automated advisory services using the UTAUT2 model. The UTAUT2 model is first applied to and extended for the automated advisory services market. Afterwards, the market data is applied to the model, confirming that the market data and theoretical framework of the model are conform. Finally, an outlook into the future of AAS in Germany and the USA is given, showing that the German market has the potential to develop similar to the US market once the negative influences on technology acceptance are diminished Further research into the aspects individualization of automated advisory services, web 3.0 applications and security of the algorithms and user data should be conducted

Manipulation der elektronischen Eigenschaften in stark korrelierten Cer-basierten Oberflächenlegierungen

Photoelectron spectroscopy proves as a versatile tool for investigating various aspects of the electronic structure in strongly correlated electron systems. Influencing the manifestation of strong correlation in Ce-based surface alloys is the main task of this work. It is shown, that the manifestation of the Kondo ground state is influenced by a multitude of parameters such as the choice of the metal binding partner in binary Ce compounds, the surface alloy layer thickness and accompanying variations in the lattice structure as well as the interfaces to substrate or vacuum. Gaining access to these parameters allows to directly influence essential state variables, such as the f level occupancy nf or the Kondo temperature TK. The center of this work are the intermetallic thin films of CePt5/Pt(111) and CeAgx/Ag(111). By utilizing different excitation energies, photoemission spectroscopy provides access to characteristic features of Kondo physics in the valence band, such as the Kondo resonance and its spin-orbit partner at the Fermi level, as well as the multiplet structure of the Ce 3d core levels. In this work both approaches are applied to CePt5/Pt(111) to determine nf and TK for a variety of surface alloy layer thicknesses. A temperature dependent study of the Ce 3d core levels allows to determine the systems TK for the different layer thicknesses. This leads to TK ≈200–270K in the thin layer thickness regime and TK >280K for larger layer thicknesses. These results are confirmed by fitting the Ce 3d multiplet based on the Gunnarsson-Schönhammer formalism for core level spectroscopy and additionally by valence band photoemission spectra of the respective Kondo resonances. The influence of varying layer thickness on the manifestation of strong correlation is subsequently studied for the surface alloy CeAgx/Ag(111). Furthermore, the heavy element Bi is added, to investigate the effects of strong spin-orbit coupling on the electronic structure of the surface alloy.Photoelektronenspektroskopie eignet sich auf vielerlei Weise verschiedenste Aspekte der elektronischen Struktur stark korrelierter Elektronensysteme zu untersuchen. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, wie gezielt Einfluss auf die Ausprägung starker Korrelation in Cer-basierten Oberflächenlegierungen genommen werden kann. Die Ausbildung des Kondo-Grundzustandes wird dabei durch eine Vielzahl von Parametern beeinfluss. Diese sind beispielsweise der metallische Bindungspartner, die Schichtdicke der Legierung und die dadurch bedingten Änderungen der Gitterstruktur sowie die Grenzen zu Substrat oder Vakuum. Durch Kontrolle dieser Parameter hat man die Möglichkeit, entscheidende Zustandsgrößen des Systems, wie die effektive Besetzung des f-Niveaus nf oder die Kondo-Temperatur TK, zu beeinflussen. Im Zentrum dieser Arbeit stehen dabei die intermetallischen Verbindungen CePt5/Pt(111) und CeAgx/Ag(111). Verschiedene Anregungsenergien bieten in der Photoemission Zugang zu den Merkmalen des Kondo-Effekts im Valenzband, aber auch in den Rumpfniveauspektren. Diese sind die Kondo-Resonanz und ihr Spin-Bahn-Partner nahe der Fermienergie sowie die Multiplettstruktur der Ce 3d Rumpfniveaus. Es werden beide Ansätze verfolgt um, für eine Reihe verschiedener Schichtdicken von CePt5/Pt(111), nf und TK zu bestimmen. Die Auswertung der Ce 3d-Spektren in Abhängigkeit der Probentemperatur ermöglicht zudem die Bestimmung von TK. Für dünne Schichten CePt5/Pt(111) ergibt sich TK≈200–270K, für dickere Schichten TK>280K. Diese Ergebnisse wurden durch Simulation der Spektren auf Basis des Gunnarsson-Schönhammer-Formalismus für Rumpfniveauspektren sowie durch Analyse der Kondo-Resonanz im Valenzband bestätigt. Durch Variation der Schichtdicke des CeAgx-Films, wurde auch im Materialsystem CeAgx/Ag(111) Einfluss auf die elektronische Struktur genommen. Zudem wird die Oberflächenlegierung mit dem schweren Element Bi versetzt, um das Zusammenspiel von Spin-Bahn-Kopplung und starker Korrelation zu untersuchen

Das Bildungsideal der Romantik

von H. KißnerProgr.-Nr. 90