University of Delaware chemical engineer Jochen Lauterbach was particularly delighted to hear the news. Lauterbach was a doctoral student of Ertl's from 1992 to 1994.
UDaily talked with Lauterbach about the new Nobel Laureate and how Ertl's discoveries have changed the world.
Q. Professor Ertl received the Nobel Prize “for his studies of chemical processes on solid surfaces.” What is surface chemistry, and why is it important?
A. Surface chemistry studies the interaction and reaction of molecules with solid surfaces. Many chemical processes--from pollution control to energy production from fuel cells, to crude oil refining and fertilizer production--happen through chemical reactions on solid surfaces. Molecular-level study of these reactions allows us to tailor the chemistry and design new and more efficient catalytic materials to facilitate these reactions.
Free public lectures highlighting the research and careers of the newly minted 2007 Nobel Laureates will be presented on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, from noon to 2 p.m., at UD's Trabant University Center Theatre. The talks, sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, will be presented by UD faculty. The first set of short lectures, on Wed., Oct. 17, focuses on the Nobel winners in the natural sciences and their areas of scholarship--including knockout mice, giant magnetoresistance, and surface chemistry. Presentations on the Nobel winners in literature, peace, and economics are slated for Wed., Oct. 24. |
Q. What have been some of Prof. Ertl's most important discoveries, and what kinds of research did you work on with him when you were his student?
A. Prof. Ertl invented and developed many fundamental concepts and technologies for studying surface chemistry that we use in academic research and industry. He has studied many industrially important reactions, ranging from ammonia synthesis, to reactions on ice crystals for a better understanding of why the ozone layer is thinning. I worked with him on the cleanup of automotive exhaust through surface reactions, elucidating the basic concepts of a catalytic converter.
Q. What was Prof. Ertl like as a Ph.D. adviser?
A. Prof. Ertl is one of the nicest people I have ever met in science and engineering. His personal kindness is amazing. He has a natural authority, and as students, we viewed him as not only an adviser, but also a father figure. Although he probably doesn't know this, some of us actually called him “Papa Ertl.”
Q. What impression did he make on you as a student, and how has he influenced your career? Are you still in touch with him?
A. Prof. Ertl gave a lot of freedom to his students. We were allowed to develop and follow our own scientific ideas, which helped us tremendously as students, to grow and become independent researchers. Despite his incredibly busy schedule, he always had time to have a scientific discussion with his students or to provide career or personal advice.
I have been in touch with him on a regular basis, discussing my research and my career choices. He visited me in the U.S. a couple years ago, and I visited him last summer in Berlin.
Q. UD has a world-class catalysis center. What kinds of studies are under way there now, and is Prof. Ertl working with you on any of them?
A. Our multi-disciplinary Center for Catalytic Science and Technology works on many facets of surface chemistry. A few examples are novel materials for fuel cell electrodes, catalytic converters and ammonia decomposition for hydrogen storage and generation. We also have experts on nano-structured materials and modeling of surface reactions. Surface chemistry will be one of the most important keys to solve the new challenges for mankind in terms of energy and global warming, and we already are tackling many problems along these lines at UD.
A part of my group still works on a very similar problem I worked on as a graduate student related to automotive exhaust after treatment. I collaborate on this topic with one of Prof. Ertl's former group leaders, and I also discuss my results with Prof. Ertl. In one of his many interviews yesterday, Prof. Ertl gave researchers the advice to be patient and to thoroughly study a chosen problem. I have been able to follow his advice, but I am finding that even with a problem that has been studied for over a decade, new questions arise with every answer we find.
Article by Tracey Bryant
