Fundamentals of Energy Conversion Processes
A DFG Cluster of Excellence
Getting the most energy out of the sunlight
It´s a pity – most photocatalysts have an absorption maximum outside the sunlight spectrum. But now scientists from the e-conversion cluster were able to significantly increase the energy yield by using nanophotonic methods.
Finding the right blend
In the battery of the future, solids will replace the currently used electrolyte solutions. A team of e-conversion scientists has now developed a series of new sodium ion conductors. The secret of the best material in the series lies in the exact mixing of the ingredients.
About e-conversion
The e-conversion Cluster of Excellence, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), focuses on researching energy conversion processes that take place at interfaces. Wherever light, charges, and matter interact, our Cluster of Excellence explores the fundamentals of future energy technologies.
How can we convert and store energy more efficiently and sustainably? This question lies at the heart of e-conversion. The Cluster of Excellence investigates interfaces – the areas where light, charge, and matter come together. At these junctions, the key processes of energy conversion take place. This is where the joint Cluster of Excellence of the Technical University of Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, together with its partner institutions (see below), concentrates its research efforts. e-conversion brings together more than 40 research groups working to understand the structures, phenomena, and processes at interfaces in detail. The reason: Whether in solar cells, (photo)catalytic reactors, or batteries, the mechanisms of energy conversion at the microscopic and (sub-)atomic level are remarkably similar. Despite different classes of materials, processes such as charge separation and ion transport exhibit comparable characteristics. Read more…
Media
Events
e-conversion Conference 2026
The next cluster conference will take place in Venice from 4 October to 9, 2026.
Recent Publications
Tailored anion-solvent solvation for robust wide-temperature and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries Journal Article
In: Materials Today Energy, vol. 54, 2025, ISSN: 2468-6069.
Effect of Stack Pressure on the Microstructure and Ionic Conductivity of the Slurry-Processed Solid Electrolyte Li7SiPS8 Journal Article
In: Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2025, ISSN: 2196-7350.
Chiral Molecules in Action: Chemistry of Chiral Perovskite and Perovskite-Inspired Materials Journal Article
In: Acs Energy Letters, vol. 10, no. 11, pp. 5703-5721, 2025, ISSN: 2380-8195.
























