Prof. Nagel ist einer der Koautoren des White Papers und hat insbesondere Beiträgen zur Rolle des Wassers in Geotechnik und Energiespeichertechnologien verfasst, bei denen die Zusammensetzung und der Phasenzustand des Wassers in technischen und geologischen porösen Medien aufgrund starker Oberflächeneffekte von seinem üblichen Verhalten abweichen.

Executive Summary des White Papers (Quelle: [1]):

"Water, Energy, Health and Environment are strongly interconnected. Addressing the challen- ges that humanity faces today, such as climate change, the need for carbon-free energy produc- tion via green hydrogen, pandemic diseases and the need for universal access to clean water, is key for the survival of our societies and our planet. The detailed molecular understanding of the role of water in the underlying physical, chemical and biological processes is prerequisite for sustain- able solutions. The Centre for Molecular Water Science (CMWS) brings together key experts from Europe and across the world, and from different areas of water-related sciences, with the common goal of delivering a detailed molecular understanding of the various structures, phenomena and dynamic processes in water and water interfaces that are relevant for green-energy technologies, health and environment. In a series of workshops and general meetings, the science concept has been developed by the CMWS consortium consisting of more than 140 scientists worldwide. The results and conclusions have been aggregated in this White Paper. CMWS science is organised within five strategic pillars (Fundamental Properties of Water, Water in Climate-, Astro-, and Geo-Sciences, Water in Energy Research and Technology, Real-Time Chemical Dynamics, Water in the Molecular Life Sciences) which define both intra-pillar chal- lenges as well as crucial inter-pillar topics to be addressed by CMWS in a cross-disciplinary approach that is unique worldwide: Bringing together researchers from different disciplines with a dedicated laboratory infrastructure directly connected to world-class research infrastructures, such as photon, neutron and NMR facilities. CMWS today is a pan-European consortium of European and international partners where more than 45 groups have expressed their continued interest via Letters of Intent (LoI). Scientific colla- borations have already been started within an Early Science Programme (ESP) co-funded by DESY and the CMWS partners. Closer collabo- rations are in the process of being defined via Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), collabora- tion contracts, the build-up of a CMWS pre- paration and characterisation laboratory on the Bahrenfeld Science Campus, and the implement- tation of the first infrastructure hubs. A declared goal of the initiative is to locate a central part of the science activities in a new Research Centre on the Bahrenfeld Campus in Hamburg, Germany, under the leadership of DESY as host laboratory and coordinating part- ner. It will provide space for about 15 research groups and a dedicated laboratory infrastructure. The Centre will be surrounded by de-centralised infrastructure hubs on other sites providing com- plementary or further specialised capabilities, like e.g. NMR and laboratory-based spectroscopy techniques. Pivotal to the concept is access to the state-of-the-art photon facilities (PETRA III/IV, FLASH and European XFEL) in Hamburg. Young Investigator Groups (YIGs) will be working at the interfaces between the pillars. Knowledge, inno- vation and technology transfer as well as the cooperation with industrial partners will be estab- lished and organised together with the DESY Innovation and Technology Transfer Office. CMWS thus aims to be a worldwide unique plat- form, where researchers from different disciplines will work together in a new way, having access to a highly dedicated laboratory infrastructure and forefront photon science facilities to create new knowledge necessary to tackle the most relevant and urgent challenges in molecular water science."

[1] Gerhard Grübel, Melanie Schnell, Claudia Goy, Felix Lehmkühler, S. B. (Ed.). (2021). Centre for Molecular Water Science White Paper. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, ein Forschungszentrum der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft, Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg. https://doi.org/10.3204/PUBDB-2021-01859

Fragen beantwortet / Contact: Prof. Dr. Thomas Nagel