Dr. Katrin F. Domke
After her interest in surface science had been sparked during a research stay in Alicante, Spain, with Prof. Feliu, Katrin F. Domke completed her chemistry studies at the University of Bonn with a diploma thesis in electrochemistry in 2004. She moved to the Fritz Haber Institute in Berlin to carry out a PhD project on tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) in the group of Dr. Pettinger and Prof. Ertl. Her thesis, which she finished in 2006, deals with the investigation of the near-field distance dependence in the tip-sample gap, the application of TERS to (bio)molecular monolayers like DNA bases, the demonstration of single-molecule TERS and the development of a third generation TERS set-up for work in UHV or condensed phases. From 2008 till 2011, she was a member of the Biosurface Spectroscopy group of Prof. Bonn at FOM Institute AMOLF in Amsterdam where she investigated catalytic reactions on zeolites with nonlinear Raman spectroscopy (CARS). Since November 2012, Katrin is heading an independent research group at the MPI-P, funded through the Emmy Noether Programme of the DFG and the “Plus 3” Programme of the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation. The Domke group studies molecular-level physico-chemical interactions at solid/liquid interfaces in sensitized solar cells, fuel cell membranes and metal-organic frameworks with nearfield and nonlinear Raman microscopy.
Main Research Interest
The Domke group aims to real-time image and spatially resolve nanoscale molecular processes at electrified solid/liquid interfaces of 2D and 3D materials such as metal or oxide surfaces and porous polymers or metal-organic frameworks. We develop and employ advanced nearfield or nonlinear in situ Raman spectro-microscopies to answer fundamental questions about molecular interactions, adsorbate structure and chemical conversion at electrified surfaces under realistic working conditions. The knowledge gained from our research provides a rational basis for green and economic material design and fabrication for improved chemical and energy conversion, like (electro)catalytically or -synthetically active electrodes, sensitized solar cell interfaces, redox-active proteins or fuel cell membranes.