Postdoc: Investigating CO2 and CO electrolysis at subzero temperatures – DTU Physics

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Postdoc: Investigating CO2 and CO electrolysis at subzero temperatures – DTU Physics
Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Job Description

As renewable energy can continually become cheaper and cheaper, the overall approach to sustainability is to electrify as much as possible. However, carbon-based chemicals like plastics and organic coating will by default need to be derived chemically, and most likely starting with the CO2 that they will eventually degrade to.  On this basis upconverting CO2 to a variety of chemicals via CO2 electrolysis is a very promising approach. As the first intermediate in CO2 electrolysis in CO, direct CO electrolysis is equivalently a promising approach.
While much work in this field has been done at room temperature, and some at elevated temperatures, very little has been done at lower temperatures. CO2 electrolysis on copper is well known to have very sensitive selectivity with the variation in almost any parameter able to influence selectivity.  At elevated temperatures we have noted that the CO intermediate often desorbs rather than further reduces to products such as ethanol and ethylene. This work would focus on operating at lower temperature and investigating selectivity and surface coverage of intermediates. Potentially at very low temperatures we may be able to get non-Cu catalysts to achieve the C-C coupling to products such as ethanol and ethylene, which has yet to be seen substantially in any catalyst other than Cu.
Thus this work will be highly fundamental in nature, particularly analyzing catalytic selectivity and relating this to mechanistic insights. As high current density work will entail ohmic heating, the work will primarily be done in an H-cell design. Potentially other electrochemical reactions may be investigated as well to see how cold temperatures effect the kinetics and selectivity of the given reactions allowing us to derive fundamental insights.
Responsibilities 
The primary responsibility of this position is characterizing and testing electrocatalysts for either CO2 or CO reduction (as well as other reactions one finds interesting) and understanding the science behind these reactions. 
Primarily either magnetron sputtering, and wet chemical nanoparticle synthesis will be used to synthesize catalysts with XPS, XRD, and electron microscopy the primary ways of analysing these. Surface Enhanced FTIR will likely play a substantial role as this will be used to analyse surface binding of reactants and intermediate as a function of the electrolyte environment. Potentially in-situ synchrotron-based X-ray analysis may be used to gain further insight into the electrochemical reaction if we can acquire beamtime.
The potential to teach, advise Bachelor/Master student thesis projects, or be involved in proposal writing is also available to those that are interested in further developing their careers in any of those directions.
Our approach is highly collaborative at DTU; thus, it is expected that you will have substantial collaborative interactions with both other experimentalists as well as computational chemists in designing new catalysts and understanding the phenomena related to electrolysis. 
The work will take place at the Surface Science and Catalysis (SurfCat) labs of DTU Physics. In the SurfCat laboratories we have 3 electrochemical mass spectrometer devices, 20 potentiostats, 4 RDE set-ups, 6 gas chromatographs, 2 magnetron sputter chambers, 2 mass-selected cluster source devices, 5 XPS (one with in-line electrochemical set-up), 3 gloveboxes, 2 XRD set-ups (one allowing in-situ annealing with gas flow), ICP-MS, FTIR, 3 full time technicians, and a sufficient number of wet-labs, fume hoods, and furnaces. 
This project will also have access to clean room facilities and electron microscopy via DTU Nanolab , as well as consultants on innovation and routes for start-up companies.
Qualifications
The successful candidate should be highly ambitious as well as open minded, culturally adaptable, and willing and able to work as part of a team. As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) or are expected to have one by the time of the start of the position. The degree should be preferably in Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or a similar field. Quality in research is the core principle in which we strive for, thus a strong fundamental scientific approach and knowledge base is essential.
The candidate must have extensive experimental experience working with electrocatalytic techniques and reactions. Experience with gas chromatographs, HPLC, NMR, ICP-MS and mass flow controllers would be beneficial as well as characterization techniques such as electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Basic programming skills in Python would be helpful. 
We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation, and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.
Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 
The period of employment is 24 months. The position start date is negotiable from 1 August 2024 to starting as late as 1 January 2025.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here .
Further information
Further information may be obtained about the research at SurfCat at the Department of Physics at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) please go to www.surfcat.dtu.dk .
Should you have any queries regarding the positions, please contact Professor Brian Seger, [email protected] . To read more about the Physics department in general, please see www.fysik.dtu.dk/english/ . 
If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark .
Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 25 March 2024 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.
The SurfCat section of DTU Physics consists of 7 professors and approximately 60-80 PhD’s and postdoc with the overarching theme of catalysis.  Roughly the section consists of 2/3 experimentalists and 1/3 computational catalysis modelers, thus there is ample opportunity to collaborate with people in supporting aspects of catalysis.
Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,400 students and 5,800 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

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Job Info

• Job Identification 3323
• Job Category VIP B
• Posting Date 03/11/2024, 05:52 AM
• Apply Before 03/25/2024, 06:59 PM
• Locations Fysikvej, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, DK

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