Post by “The Martian Mindset“ – Cluster of Excellence | University of Bremen

In the “The Martian Mindset” Cluster of Excellence, Lena Ehlers is working in Research Area 1, “Sourcing,” alongside Jorg Thöming, project lead for “Metal Electrowinning”. In this context, Lena visited the Politecnico di Milano, the state-run engineering Technical University in Milan, to investigate how different electrochemical cell designs influence reaction products and mechanisms during iron electrodeposition. The experimental setup in Milan allowed for both in-situ Raman spectroscopy - a non-invasive technique that combines electrochemistry with chemical analysis - and real-time microscope observation of the electrode surface during the electrochemical measurements. The data will be analysed in the upcoming weeks to better understand the reduction mechanisms and possible intermediates.