Technology Award of the German Society for Electron Microscopy goes to Marco Hepp from the University of Siegen
Hepp was honoured for his outstanding contributions to the further development of preparation methods for complex functional material systems such as energy storage/converters and sensors as well as their cross-scale characterization using (electron) microscopic methods. Particularly noteworthy is his work on the further development of cryo-ultramicrotomy for large-scale cross-sectional preparation of air- and moisture-sensitive samples such as batteries or fuel cells. Hepp has adapted the microtomy method, which has been used for decades in the life sciences, particularly for research in pathology, for materials research on complex samples. It is based on the high-precision cutting of ultra-thin, yet large cross-sections with thicknesses of less than 100 nanometers using a diamond knife with a blade radius of just a few nanometers. The questions for microscopic analyses of such complex samples are manifold and range from the material development of new types of lithium metal electrodes to structure formation during production and the ageing of entire components. However, such samples are highly reactive in ambient air and therefore normally cannot be analyzed. Thanks to Hepp's contribution, it is now possible for the first time to prepare and handle such pioneering material systems at cryogenic temperatures of down to -196 °C in such a way that they can be examined across scales down to the nanometer or even atomic scale using electron microscopy methods without significantly changing their original state.
With the €1,000 technology prize, the DGE honors employees who have made significant innovations in the application or development of microscopic methods possible through their work in the technical field.
Background: The German Society for Electron Microscopy (DGE) is the central scientific society for electron microscopy in Germany. It was founded in 1949 and today unites around 700 members from research, industry and clinical institutions. Since 2024, the DGE has had its headquarters at the University of Siegen. The aim of the DGE is to promote and further develop electron microscopy and related imaging techniques in the natural and life sciences and technology. It offers a platform for exchange and networking between scientists, technical specialists and students. It also promotes young scientists and organizes specialist conferences and workshops.
