Profile

Professional career

• 04/2022 - 10/2022
  Leipzig University, Institute of Chemical Technology: Scientific Assistent
• since 11/2022
  Leipzig University, Wilhelm-Ostwald-Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Education

• 10/2015 - 08/2019
  Leipzig University: Bachelor of Science-Chemistry
• 10/2019 - 03/2022
  Leipzig University: Master of Science-Chemistry

Exploring the application of porous solids to enable the analysis of liquids in ultra-high vacuum using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is an important and widely used analytical method for determining the chemical composition of samples. X-rays are used to emit photoelectrons that have element-specific kinetic energies. In addition, the chemical shift can be used to draw conclusions about the chemical environment (e.g. binding partners). This enables a very specific qualitative analysis. In addition, a quantitative analysis is also possible to determine the proportions of the individual species.

Since the mean free path of electrons at ambient pressure is too small, the measurements are usually carried out in an ultra-high vacuum. This creates the problem that liquid samples cannot normally be measured. Near ambient pressure XPS (NAPXPS) is a method that tries to provide a solution to this problem. However, this requires a special device setup, which is rarely the case with existing devices.

Therefore, the approach pursued is to trap the liquids in the meso- and micropores of solids, with the idea of ​​preventing a transition into the gas phase and thus enabling an analysis even at very low pressures.