The Surface Chemistry and Laser Processing group concentrates on the laser-based synthesis of nanomaterials designed explicitly for new (powder) feedstock formulations in additive manufacturing (AM). As polymer and metal powder feedstocks have material-related limitations regarding their flowability, thermal properties, laser absorption, and melting-solidification kinetics affected by the laser-based AM, nanoparticle additives have great potential to optimize this process. They can further include controllable microstructural and functional properties in the printed parts.

To fully exploit the potential of these innovative materials, this group focuses on laser-based synthesis via laser ablation (LAL) and laser fragmentation (LFL) in liquids of various nanomaterials. The main goal is hunting for targeted surface chemistry to further support the produced nanoparticles on polymer, metal, or ceramic powder feedstocks. The large variety of materials (carbon, metal, metal-oxide/sulfide/boride nanoparticles in a different colloidal environment) gives access to a fundamental understanding of how nanoparticles interact with the support feedstock material, a prerequisite for the laser-based manufacturing process.

For further information on our Laser Processing AM activities, please refer to the Materials for Additive Manufacturing research page or contact Anna Rosa Ziefuß. Further reading on our Surface Chemistry studies please find here:

1. A. R. Ziefuss, T. Steenbock, D. Benner, A. Plech, J. Göttlicher, M. Teubner, B. Grimm-Lebsanft, C. Rehbock, C. Comby-Zerbino, R. Antoine, D. Amans, I. Chakraborty, G. Bester, M. Nachev, B. Sures, M. Rübhausen, W. J. Parak, S. Barcikowski, Photoluminescence of Fully Inorganic Colloidal Gold Nanocluster and Their Manipulation Using Surface Charge Effects, Adv. Mater., 2021, 33, 2101549 (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202101549)

2. Y. Zeng, S. Havenridge, M. Gharib, A. Baksi, K. L. Dimuthu, M. Weerawardene, A. R. Ziefuß, C. Strelow, C. Rehbock, A. Mews, S. Barcikowski, M. M. Kappes, W. J. Parak, C. M. Aikens, I.Chakraborty, Impact of Ligands on Structural and Optical Properties of Ag29 Nanocluster, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2021, 143, 9405-9414 (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c01799)

3. A. R. Ziefuß, I. Haxhiaj, S. Müller, M. Gharib, O. Gridina, C. Rehbock, I. Chakraborty, B. Peng, M. Muhler, W. J. Parak, S. Barcikowski, S. Reichenberger, Origin of Laser-Induced Colloidal Gold Surface Oxidation and Charge Density, and Its Role in Oxidation Catalysis, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2020, 124, 20981-20990 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c06257)

4. A. Ziefuss, S. Barcikowski, C. Rehbock, Synergism between Specific Halide Anions and pH Effects during Nanosecond Laser Fragmentation of Ligand-Free Gold Nanoparticles, Langmuir, 2019, 35, 6630-6639 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00418)