Katharina (Tinka) Marquardt

My research interests focus on ceramic and interface research, particularly the evolution of microstructure, grain boundary networks, and understanding this evolution as a result of changing external conditions, from deformation to reactions with the environment. My group’s work stretches from understanding and characterising interface population changes during material life cycles to (geo)materials interaction with the environment. Materials of key interest are those that find application for our transition to net-zero and materials for applications under extreme conditions, from advanced ceramics to rocks and minerals. We also develop new characterization protocols to enable comprehensive studies of desired and undesired properties of interfaces from the nm-scale to the full interface network and from chemistry to structural properties. We use various cutting-edge electron microscopy techniques ranging from X-ray fluorescence, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), focused ion beam (FIB) machining, and high-resolution (scanning) transmission electron microscopy (HR(S)TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and precession electron diffraction (PED).