Highlights - Institute for Materials and X-Ray Physics

2.11.2015 Our Study on the capillary rise dynamics of liquid hydrocarbons in mesoporous silica as explored by gravimetry, optical and neutron imaging: Nano-rheology and determination of pore size distributions from the shape of imbibition fronts has been published in Colloids and Surfaces A.

26.9.2015 PhotoWalk at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

Pictures can be found here.

29.6.2015 Study on the elastic response of mesoporous silicon upon capillary condensation of water published in Applied Physics Letters.

13.2.2015 Topical review on "Soft matter in hard confinement: phase transition thermodynamics, structure, texture, diffusion and flow in nanoporous media" published in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.

1.7.2014 Study on Switchable imbibition in nanoporous gold has been published in Nature Communications and featured as Nanotechnology Spotlight by nanowerk (in English and German) and as article "Kapillarwirkung auf Knopfdruck" by Spektrum der Wissenschaft (in German). The press release by Hamburg University of Technology can be found here.

The capillarity-driven uptake of liquids by porous solids can be experienced in daily life, e.g., when a sponge imbibes water. Here, we demonstrate that this process can be switched on and off reversibly when nanoporous gold takes the role of the sponge and an electric potential is used to control the surface tension.

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News

22.10.2025 Water as an energy carrier: nanoporous silicon generates electricity from friction with water

Exciting news! Our new publication in Nano Energy presents a novel way for converting mechanical energy into electricity – by harnessing water confined in nanometre-sized pores of silicon as the active working fluid (press release).
29.09.2025 Colossal Effect of Nanopore Surface Ionic Charge on the Dynamics of Confined Water

In a recent publication, we report a particularly rewarding result from a French-German collaboration linking Hamburg, Rennes, Grenoble and Paris, with key neutron scattering experiments carried out at the high-flux neutron reactor of the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France.

We show that water behaves very differently when confined to tiny nanopores—and that surface charge makes all the difference. Adding ionic charges to pore walls dramatically slows down water motion, not just in the vicinity of the pore wall but throughout the entire pore. This long-range control goes far beyond simple wetting effects and highlights surface charge as a powerful tool for using water as a nanoscale working fluid in water-driven materials, membranes, and nanotechnologies.
09.09.2025 When symmetry breaks in tiny spaces

Nanopores unlock hidden chirality in exotic liquid crystals – with the observation now made by us within an international cooperation with Ukraine, France and Poland, they might find even wider usage in energy storage or conversion or tunable lenses (see press release).
22.05.2025 Cluster of Excellence "BlueMat: Water-driven materials" approved

BlueMat has been awarded funding through the Cluster of Excellence program (ExStra)!

The application process was challenging: out of a total of 143 draft proposals for new clusters of excellence, only 41 were invited to submit a full proposal. In this second round, the new applications competed with the 57 already established clusters. Of a total of 98 applications submitted, only 70 were approved. The Cluster of Excellence will initially be funded for seven years until 2033.

We would like to thank all of our partners for their hard work. The whole team is energized and eager to begin bringing our vision to life. Stay tuned for updates as we embark on this exciting journey!
26.02.2025 Centre for Molecular Water Science (CMWS) inaugurated

The DESY-initiated CMWS is a Europe-wide research network in the field of molecular water research. The CMWS declaration has been signed by forty-seven founding members from twelve countries – including fourteen German universities and eight Helmholtz Centres. See also the corresponding press release.