PhD Position – Towards proton-conducting ceramic electrolyzers (PCCELs) with enhanced durability

Your Job:

Background and project description:
On European level, but also globally, green hydrogen production needs to be significantly increased to support industrial decarbonization. Currently, electrolysis technologies suffer from limitations in terms of cost, efficiency, stability, scalability, and recyclability. This is mainly due to the lack of understanding and identification of electrolyzer degradation mechanisms and improvement of current cell performance.
In the frame of a European project, the efficiency performance of electrolyzers is aimed to be increased by reducing the use of critical materials and extending the useful life of these systems. These goals will be achieved through combined modeling and experimental effort to identify and understand the degradation mechanisms on multiple scales aligned with harmonization protocols and made available through dedicated online data centers.
As part of this multidisciplinary project, a PhD project is dedicated to the development of PCCELs that will demonstrate enhanced durability at the end of the project period. Therefore, degradation effects will be closely explored and understood, and strategies for their mitigation will be proposed and tested in collaboration with international partners.

Your tasks will mainly comprise the following:

• Development of reference cell components and full PCCELs based on selected “standard” (state-of-the art) materials and collecting data about their characteristics (performance, microstructure, etc.) in pre-test and post-mortem state. Comparing self-obtained data to reference data in order to elaborate a benchmark for the PCCEL technology together with partners.
  
• Identification of degradation and aging effects in PCCEL exposed to operation environments in sets of functional tests, including conduction of accelerated tests in collaboration with project partners.
  
• Based on processing-and-testing loops on lab-to-intermediate-scale samples to accelerate and reveal degradation issues, exploration of various strategies for their minimization by practical techniques, e.g., material related and processing approaches, depending on the nature of detected degradation effects.
  
• Characterization of the necessary powders, pastes, slurries, ceramic components as well as the complete cells (in a team and independently) by applying a wide range of analytical methods (including X-ray diffraction, light and electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), Raman, optical emission spectroscopy (OES), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), etc.
  
• Development of an improved PCCELs iterations by using data generated from modeling and experimental sets for comparison to the initially developed benchmarks (together with partners). Elaboration of KPI sets (KPI= key performance indicators) for the PCCEL iterations with enhanced final performance characteristics.

Your Profile:

• Successfully completed university study (Master degree) in the field of materials science, materials engineering, applied physics or a comparable field with an excellent final grade
  
• Good knowledge in the field of materials science, ceramic process engineering, solid-state chemistry, energy materials (specifically applied in electrolyzers, fuel cells, etc.)
  
• Experience in synthesis and fabrication of ceramic materials is indispensable
  
• Knowledge in the field of proton conducting ceramics and solid-state electrochemistry would be beneficial
  
• English (fluent written and spoken) language skills indispensable
  
• Strong personal motivation, internally-driven do-personality
  
• Excellent cooperation, communication skills and ability to work in an international team
  
• Systematic and structured way of working, including efficient documentation and data processing;

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! Here is what Forschungszentrum Jülich can offer you:

• The work will be carried out in a strong and motivated team at Forschungszentrum Jülich, which is one of the largest and best-equipped research facilities in Europe and is among the top ten best employers in Germany
  
• You will participate in a large consortium of European research institutions and industrial partners that is funded by Horizon Europe
  
• You will have the opportunity to participate in project meetings and education events organized in the frame of the project, but also at international/national conferences to present results and discuss with the community
  
• You will also be enabled to develop your personal skills through our extensive training programme (online and regular events) and we encourage you to take advantage of these
  
• Your professional supervision will be provided by Dr.-Ing. Mariya E. Ivanova who is the head of the team “Materials for Proton Conducting Ceramic Cells” at IEK-1
  
• Your doctoral degree will be pursued at the RWTH Aachen University under Prof. Dr.-Ing. Norbert H. Menzlerʹs doctoral supervision
  
• Flexible work (location) arrangements, e.g. remote work
  
• 30 days of annual leave and provision for days off between public holidays and weekends (e.g. between Christmas and New Year)
  
• Opportunity to develop your strengths, e.g. through a comprehensive training programme; a structured programme including continuing professional development and networking opportunities specifically designed for Jülich’s doctoral researchers by the Jülich Center for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors (JuDocS): https://go.fzj.de/JuDocs
  

In addition to exciting tasks and the collaborative working atmosphere at Jülich, we have a lot more to offer: https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/careers/julich-as-an-employer/benefits

The position is for a fixed term of 3 years. Pay in line with 75% of pay group 13 of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund) and additionally 60 % of a monthly salary as special payment („Christmas bonus“). Further information on doctoral degrees at Forschungszentrum Jülich (including its various branch offices) is available at https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/careers/phd

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.