Michael Grätzel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Grätzel
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| Born | 11 May 1944 Dorfchemnitz, Saxony, Germany
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| Nationality | Swiss |
| Alma mater | Free University of Berlin Technische Universität Berlin |
| Known for | Dye-sensitized solar cells |
| Awards | Harvey Prize (2007) Balzan Prize (2009) Millennium Technology Prize (2010) Albert Einstein World Award of Science (2012) Marcel Benoist Prize (2013) King Faisal International Prize (2015) Global Energy Prize (2017) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | photochemistry |
| Institutions | Free University of Berlin École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne |
| Thesis | Pulsradiolytische Untersuchung kurzlebiger Stickstoff-Sauerstoffverbindungen in wässriger Lösung (1971) |
| Doctoral advisor | Arnim Henglein |
| Other academic advisors | J. Kerry Thomas |
| Notable students | Henry Snaith (postdoc) |
Michael Grätzel is a famous scientist from Switzerland. He was born in Dorfchemnitz, Saxony, Germany on May 11, 1944. He is a professor at a special school in Switzerland called the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.
Professor Grätzel is known for his amazing work on solar cells. He helped invent a new type of solar cell called the Grätzel cell in 1988. These cells are special because they work a bit like how plants use sunlight! He has written over 1000 scientific papers and holds more than 80 patents.
Michael Grätzel's Journey
Michael Grätzel studied science at the Free University of Berlin. He earned his PhD in natural science in 1971 from the Technische Universität Berlin. In 1976, he finished his habilitation in physical chemistry. This is a special qualification needed to become a full professor in some European countries.
Since 1977, he has been a professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. There, he leads the Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces. He has also worked at many other famous universities and research centers around the world.
In 1991, Professor Grätzel published a very important discovery. He created a new kind of solar cell. These cells use tiny particles of a semiconductor material covered with a special dye. This dye helps them capture sunlight. These cells became known as Grätzel cells.
Professor Grätzel has received many honorary doctorates from universities in Asia and Europe. This means these universities have given him special degrees to honor his work. He has also won many important science and engineering awards.
He is a member of several important scientific groups. These include the Swiss Chemical Society and the German Academy of Science. He is also an honorary member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Amazing Scientific Discoveries
Professor Grätzel is one of the inventors of dye-sensitized solar cells. These are often called Grätzel cells. They are a new kind of solar cell that works in a way similar to photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process plants use to turn sunlight into energy.
These cells are special because they can be made using less expensive materials. They are also flexible and can work well even in cloudy conditions. This makes them a promising way to create clean energy for the future.
Awards and Honors
Professor Grätzel's work is very important in the scientific world. His research has been mentioned by other scientists over 467,000 times. This makes him one of the most mentioned chemists globally.
He has received many awards for his discoveries. Some of his notable awards include:
- The 2001 Faraday Medal from the British Royal Society.
- The 2007 Harvey Prize for his research on energy and electron transfer.
- The 2009 Balzan Prize for the Science of New Materials.
- The 2010 Millennium Technology Prize. This is a very big award, sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for Technology." He received 800,000 euros for this prize.
- The 2012 Albert Einstein World Award of Science.
- The 2013 Marcel Benoist Prize.
- The 2015 King Faisal International Prize in Chemistry.
- The 2017 Global Energy Prize for his work on Grätzel cells.
- The 2020 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award.
Professor Grätzel has also received honorary doctorates from universities like Uppsala University in Sweden and the University of Turin in Italy.
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