Matthias Bauer

Prof. Dr. Matthias Bauer is a Full Professor of Inorganic Chemistry of Sustainable Processes at the University of Paderborn, where he has led his research group since 2017. Affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Department of Chemistry, he specializes in developing functional materials for sustainable chemical processes with a focus on base metals as reactive components. His research integrates synthesis, characterization, and mechanistic studies to design improved catalysts for sustainable applications.

His academic background includes:

• Chemistry studies at Stuttgart, Berlin and Edinburgh (1998-2003)
• Diploma thesis with Prof. Dr. Bertagnolli (University of Stuttgart, 2003)
• Doctorate with Prof. Dr. Bertagnolli (University of Stuttgart, 2004-2008)
• Postdoc at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (2009)
• Head of 'Modern spectroscopic methods' division at KIT (2010-2011)
• Carl-Zeiss assistant professor at TU Kaiserslautern (2011-2013)
• Associate Professor at University of Paderborn (2013-2017)

Prof. Bauer's research centers on sustainable inorganic chemistry, particularly replacing precious metals with abundant elements like iron and cobalt. His group develops photoactive metal complexes for catalytic applications and energy conversion, specializing in X-ray spectroscopic methods (XAS, XES, HERFD-XANES, CtC-XES, VtC-XES) to study materials under operando conditions. Current projects include noble metal-free catalysts for CO oxidation and CO2 methanation, as well as thermochemical hydrogen storage using iron-based mixed oxides. His laboratory has developed custom experimental setups including heatable capillary systems and gas flow cells for in-situ investigations.

His recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on sustainable catalysis using base metals, particularly iron and cobalt complexes. His work bridges inorganic chemistry, materials science, and spectroscopy, with significant emphasis on X-ray techniques for characterizing catalysts under working conditions. Key themes include photoactive complexes, ligand design for controlling excited states, and development of noble metal-free alternatives for industrial catalytic processes. His collaborative approach is evident through numerous co-authorships across multiple institutions including synchrotron facilities worldwide.

Professional recognition includes:

• Member of peer review panels for beamtime at DIAMOND (UK) and CHESS (US) since 2021
• Member of the DFG Review Board: Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces since 2020
• Founding member of the 'Center for Sustainable Systems Design' (CSSD) in 2019
• Dean of Research for the Faculty of Science (2018-2024)

Prof. Bauer actively mentors students and researchers, with several PhD candidates and postdocs in his group including Athul Krishna (cobalt complexes), Jakob Steube (iron complexes), and Nils (Kekulé scholarship holder). His research is supported by access to major facilities including MAX IV in Sweden, DESY, XFEL, Diamond, and ESRF. He has successfully secured beamtime for advanced X-ray studies and maintains strong collaborations with groups specializing in photophysics (Lochbrunner), computational chemistry (Kühne, Meyer), and catalysis. His technical developments focus on advancing photon-in/photon-out spectroscopy methods for sustainable chemistry applications.