Robert Vaßen is a German physicist and holds a teaching professorship at the

Ruhr University Bochum The Ruhr University Bochum (, ) is a public research university located in the southern hills of the central Ruhr area, Bochum, Germany. It was founded in 1962 as the first new public university in Germany after World War II. Instruction began in ...

at the Institute of Materials in the Department of Ceramics Technology. He is head of the department "Materials for High Temperature Technologies" and deputy head of the Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-1): Materials Synthesis and Processing at

Forschungszentrum Jülich Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ here for short) is a national research institution that pursues interdisciplinary research in the fields of energy, information, and bioeconomy. It operates research infrastructures with a focus on supercomputers. C ...

Life and career

Vaßen studied physics at the

RWTH Aachen University RWTH Aachen University (), also known as North Rhine-Westphalia Technical University of Aachen, Rhine-Westphalia Technical University of Aachen, Technical University of Aachen, University of Aachen, or ''Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hoch ...

from 1980 to 1986, where he received his

diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...

. At the same university, he received his

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

solid-state physics Solid-state physics is the study of rigid matter, or solids, through methods such as quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. It is the largest branch of condensed matter physics. Solid-state physics studies how the l ...

under Prof. Uhlmaier with the thesis ''Diffusion of Helium in Cubic-Space-Centered and Hexagonal Metals'' in 1990. After his PhD, he was a scientific assistant at (today's) IEK-1 Institute for Energy and Climate Research, Forschungszentrum Jülich, where he became head of department in 1998 and deputy head of the institute since 2014. During this time, he

habilitated Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...

at Ruhr University Bochum in 2004 with the topic of d''evelopment of new oxide

thermal barrier Thermal insulation is the reduction of heat transfer (i.e., the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature) between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Thermal insulation can be achieved with s ...

coatings for applications in stationary and aero-gas turbines''. Since 2010, he has been a visiting professor at the University West, Trollhättan, Sweden. In 2014, he turned down a call for a W3 professorship in coating technology at the

Technical University of Berlin The Technical University of Berlin (official name both in English and german: link=no, Technische Universität Berlin, also known as TU Berlin and Berlin Institute of Technology) is a public research university located in Berlin, Germany. It was ...

. Since 2014, Vaßen has been a PhD supervisor of more than 75 students, 40 of them his own PhD students at the Ruhr University Bochum and the others as co-lecturer at various universities such as University West, Trollhättan, Sweden,

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

and

University of Manchester , mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity , established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...

, all three United Kingdom,

University of Stuttgart The University of Stuttgart (german: Universität Stuttgart) is a leading research university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized into 10 faculties. It is one of the oldest technical universities in Germany wit ...

University of Bayreuth A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

, Mines Paris Tech, and others.

Research focus

Vaßen's research focuses on the development of high-temperature materials and coatings also with additional functional properties such as sensing properties, self-healing capabilities or enhanced strain tolerance. He is also active in the development of functional coatings for

solid oxide fuel cell A solid oxide fuel cell (or SOFC) is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity directly from oxidizing a fuel. Fuel cells are characterized by their electrolyte material; the SOFC has a solid oxide or ceramic electrolyte. A ...

s and membranes for oxygen and hydrogen separation. Recently, repair technologies, especially by cold gas spraying, aerosol deposition processes, and coating solutions for alkaline and

PEM electrolysis Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis is the electrolysis of water in a cell equipped with a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) that is responsible for the conduction of protons, separation of product gases, and electrical insulation of the e ...

have also been developed.

Memberships

* Since 2008: Member of the DIN Standards Committee on Welding and Allied Processes (NAS) * German Ceramic Society (DKG) () * Gemeinschaft Thermisches Spritzen e.V. (GTS) - Association of Thermal Sprayers * Reviewer for the

German research foundation The German Research Foundation (german: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ; DFG ) is a German research funding organization, which functions as a self-governing institution for the promotion of science and research in the Federal Republic of Germ ...

(; ), the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Foundation, the

Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung The Carl-Zeiss- Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation), legally located in Heidenheim an der Brenz and Jena, Germany, and with its administrative Headquarter in Stuttgart, is the sole shareholder of the two companies Carl Zeiss AG and Schott AG. It w ...

, the AiF, and several national research organizations

Awards

* 2017: Appointment as Fellow of the

American Ceramic Society The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) is a non-profit professional organization for the ceramics community, with a focus on scientific research, emerging technologies, and applications in which ceramic materials are an element. It is located in W ...

* 2017: Induction into the ASM/TSS Hall of Fame of Thermal Spray * Since 2017: Editor of the Journal of the European Ceramic Society * 2019: Appointment as Fellow of ASM/TSS * 2019: Elected as a member of the DFG Review Board "Materials Engineering" for "Coating and Surface Technology" * 2022: European SOFT Innovation Award (€50,000 prize money) together with scientists of KIT ( Kalsruhe Institute of Technology () for the development of plasma sprayed, functionally graded coatings for fusion power plants

Selected publications

* with Daniel E. Mack, Martin Tandler, Yoo J. Sohn, Doris Sebold,

Olivier Guillon Olivier Guillon is a French-German materials scientist and engineer. He is the Director of the Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-1): Materials Synthesis and Processing at Forschungszentrum Jülich and professor at RWTH Aachen Universi ...

: ''Unique performance of thermal barrier coatings made of yttria-stabilized zirconia at extreme temperatures (> 1500 °C)''. In: ''Journal of the American Ceramic Society'', Volume 104, Nr. 1, September 2020. doi.org/10.1111/jace.17452, Pages 463–471. * with Apurv Dash,

, Jesus Gonzalez-Julian: ''Molten salt shielded synthesis of oxidation prone materials in air''. In: ''Nature materials.'' Volume 18, Nr. 5, Mai 2019. doi.org/10.1038/s41563-019-0328-1, Pages 465–470. * with Tobias Kalfhaus, M. Schneider, B. Ruttert, Doris Sebold, T. Hammerschmidt, Werner Theisen, Gunther F. Eggler,

: ''Repair of Ni-based single-crystal superalloys using Vacuum Plasma Spray''. In: ''Materials & Design'', Volume 168, 15. April 2019. doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2019.107656, Page 107656. * with R Singh, S Schruefer, S Wilson, Jens Gibmeier: ''Influence of coating thickness on residual stress and adhesion-strength of cold-sprayed Inconel 718 coatings''. In: ''Surface and Coatings Technology'', Volume 350, September 2018. doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.06.08, Pages 64–73. * with Emine Bakan: ''Ceramic top coats of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings: materials, processes, and properties''. In: ''Journal of Thermal Spray Technology'', Volume 26, Nr. 6, Juli 2017. doi.org/10.1007/s11666-017-0597-7, Pages 992–1010. * with Armelle Vardelle, Christian Moreau, Jun Akedo, Hossein Ashrafizadeh, Christopher C. Berndt, Jörg O. Berghaus, Petri Vuoristo: ''The 2016 thermal spray roadmap''. In: ''Journal of Thermal Spray Technology'', Volume 25, Nr. 8, Dezember 201
dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11666-016-0473-x
Pages 1376–1440. * with Markus Haydn, Kai Ortner, Thomas Franco, Sven Uhlenbruck, Norbert H. Menzler, Detlev Stöver: ''Multi-layer thin-film electrolytes for metal supported solid oxide fuel cells''. In: ''Journal of Power Sources'', Volume 256, Juni 2014. doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.01.043, Pages 52–60. * with Maria O. Jarligo, Georg Mauer, Martin Bram, Stefan Baumann: ''Plasma Spray Physical Vapor Deposition of La_1-xSr_xCoyFe_1-yO_3-δ Thin-Film Oxygen Transport Membrane on Porous Metallic Supports''. In: ''Journal of thermal spray technology'', Volume 23, Nr. 1, 2014. doi.org/10.1007/s11666-013-0004-y, Pages 213–219. * with Xueqiang Cao, Frank Tietz, Debabrata Basu, Detlev Stöver: ''Zirconates as new materials for thermal barrier coatings''. In: ''Journal of the American Ceramic Society'', Volume 83, Nr. 8. doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.2000.tb01506.x, Pages 2023–2028. * with Detlev Stöver: ''Processing and properties of nanograin silicon carbide''. In: ''Journal of the American Ceramic Society'', Volume 82, Nr. 10, Oktober 1999. doi/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1999.tb02127.x, Pages 2585–2593.

References

External links

Profile
Robert Vaßen on the Website of Forschungszentrum Jülich
Website Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1)
at the Forschungszentrum Jülich
Profile
on the platform ORCID
Profile
on the Ruhr University Bochum Website {{DEFAULTSORT:Vaßen, Robert 20th-century German physicists 21st-century German physicists RWTH Aachen University alumni Materials scientists and engineers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people