Overview
Nico Hotz specializes in interfacial transport phenomena and thermodynamics in energy technology. His research focuses on heat, mass, and charge transfer on nano-scale surfaces for solar thermal applications, catalytic fuel reforming, hydrogen generation, fuel cells, and electrolysis.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Associate Professor of the Practice in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
·
2019 - Present
Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science,
Pratt School of Engineering
Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
·
2018 - Present
Duke Science & Society,
University Initiatives & Academic Support Units
Recent Publications
Disorder viscosity correction approach to calculate spinodal temperature and wavelength
Journal Article Acta Materialia · April 15, 2026 Spinodal decomposition, a key mechanism of microstructure formation in materials, has long posed challenges for predictive modeling, due to the need for parameter-free approaches that accurately capture local energy landscapes. In this work, we propose an ... Full text CiteSoliquidy: a descriptor for atomic geometrical confusion
Journal Article Npj Computational Materials · December 1, 2025 Tailoring material properties often requires understanding the solidification process. Herein, we introduce the geometric descriptor Soliquidy, which numerically captures the Euclidean transport cost between the translationally disordered versus ordered st ... Full text CiteAFLOW4: Heading Toward Disorder
Journal Article High Entropy Alloys and Materials · March 1, 2025 AFLOW4 is the latest iteration of the AFLOW toolkit, specifically tailored to study high-entropy disordered materials. This upgrade includes innovative features like the Soliquidy module, based on the Euclidean transport cost between disordered and ordered ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Novel Flexible Quantum Dot Solar Cell for Space Applications
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Space Grant · 2013 - 2014View All Grants
Education
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Switzerland) ·
2008
Ph.D.