Lars Klemeyer, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher · University of Hamburg

I study how functional nanomaterials form — watching chemical reactions as they happen with in situ X‑ray spectroscopy and scattering at synchrotron light sources.

Portrait of Lars Klemeyer

About

I am a materials scientist and physicist at the University of Hamburg. In 2025 I completed my PhD in the group of Dorota Koziej at the Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics (Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, CHyN), and I now work as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Tobias Beck.

My work combines X‑ray absorption and emission spectroscopy, X‑ray total scattering, and complementary DFT calculations to resolve how the atomic and electronic structure of nanomaterials emerges during synthesis. Much of this research is carried out at large-scale facilities such as DESY (PETRA III) and the ESRF.

During my studies I spent research stays at Northwestern University (group of Jiaxing Huang) and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (group of Serena DeBeer).

Research

How do nanoparticles actually form? Between dissolved precursors and the final crystal lies a rich landscape of complexes, amorphous intermediates, and metastable phases — usually hidden from view. My research makes these steps visible.

In situ X‑ray spectroscopy

High-energy-resolution XAS/XES (HERFD‑XANES, vtc‑XES) to follow oxidation states, coordination, and the emergence of electronic band structure during solvothermal synthesis.

X‑ray scattering & PDF

Total scattering and pair distribution function analysis to track atomic structure from pre-nucleation species to crystalline nanoparticles.

Reaction environments

Custom reactors for synchrotron experiments — from solvothermal cells to spatially resolved studies of nucleation at liquid–liquid interfaces.

Functional nanomaterials

Semiconductor nanostructures (ZnS, CdSe/CdS), metal sulfides and oxides, and hybrid bio–inorganic materials for photocatalysis and energy applications.

Publications

Generated from my ORCID record via Crossref. See also Google Scholar.

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Curriculum Vitae

Contact

Universität Hamburg
Fachbereich Chemie
Institut für Physikalische Chemie
AG Beck
Grindelallee 117
20146 Hamburg

Office: Room VGII 250c
Tel.: +49 40 2395-29176
Email: lars.klemeyer@uni-hamburg.de