PhD student new redox systems for efficient energy conversion (M/F)

2 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

CNRS

Department

Laboratoire de physique des 2 infinis - Irène Joliot-Curie

Research Field

Chemistry » Physical chemistry
Chemistry » Computational chemistry

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

France

Application Deadline

22 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

35

Offer Starting Date

1 Oct 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The PhD student will work at two establishments: - IJCLab - UMR 9012 - CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay - SPEC - UMR 3680 CEA/CNRS (SPHYNX laboratory) The Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-Curie laboratory (https://www.ijclab.in2p3 . fr/) is a two-infinity physics laboratory under the auspices of the CNRS, the University of Paris-Saclay and the University of Paris, created in 2020 from the merger of five UMRs located on the Orsay university campus: Centre de sciences nucléaires et de sciences de la matière (CSNSM), Imagerie et modélisation en neurobiologie et cancérologie (IMNC), Institut de physique nucléaire d'Orsay (IPNO), Laboratoire de l'accélérateur linéaire (LAL) and Laboratoire de physique théorique (LPT). The laboratory's research themes are nuclear physics, high-energy physics, astroparticles and cosmology, theoretical physics, particle accelerators and detectors, as well as technical research and development and associated applications for energy, health and the environment. It has a very large technical capacity (around 280 engineers and technicians). The SPHYNX laboratory at CEA-Saclay (https://iramis.cea.fr/spec/SPHYNX/ ) carries out multidisciplinary theoretical, numerical and experimental research into physical systems far from equilibrium. It has a staff of around thirty, including 20 permanent researchers, engineers and technicians at CEA and CNRS. The statistical physics of equilibrium systems now provides a solid conceptual framework for classical thermodynamics. However, most systems encountered in condensed matter and beyond, in biology and in natural and industrial systems, are out of equilibrium, either because of an external forcing or because they cannot relax towards equilibrium. These systems are often non-linear, disordered or complex and may exhibit emergent properties. The aim of SPHYNX is to bring together researchers working on different objects but using common tools, those of statistical physics, to tackle a common challenge, that of complexity. Current research topics include active matter, granular matter, soft matter and biological objects, glassy systems and slow dynamics, fracture, chaotic fluids, turbulence and climate, transitions to new ordered states, statistical physics and renewable energy.

This PhD thesis, "New redox systems for efficient thermogalvanic energy conversion in ionic liquids", is part of an ANR project entitled WH-RECOLTE, involving 3 laboratories (SPHYNX, SPEC, IRAMIS, CEA-CNRS, IJCLab,CNRS-Université Paris-Saclay and PHENIX,CNRS-Sorbonne Université), which aims to advance our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in converting thermal energy into electricity in complex liquids, and to demonstrate the true potential of liquid thermoelectric technology for waste heat recovery applications.
The aim is to obtain robust liquid thermoelectric materials and devices that are better than the current state of the art and that are also cost-effective, non-toxic and scalable. The main application will be small-scale electricity generation (1~100 W) from an external heat stream. However, WH-RECOLTE's basic knowledge can be extended to applications outside renewable energy research, such as temperature and chemical pollutant sensors. Thermoelectricity, the ability of a material to convert heat into electrical energy, has been known to exist in liquids for many decades. Observed values of the Seebeck coefficient (Se = - ΔV/ΔT, the ratio of induced voltage (ΔV) to applied temperature difference (ΔT)) are generally an order of magnitude greater than those found in solid devices.However, due to the low ionic conductivity of the liquids, the conversion efficiency was very low, preventing the use of conventional solvent-containing thermogalvanic cells in low-temperature waste heat recovery applications. The prospects for this technology have brightened over the last decade with the development of ionic liquids (ILs) [1-3]. ILs are molten salts with melting points below 100°C. Compared with conventional liquids, they have many interesting physico-chemical properties, such as a high boiling point, low vapour pressure, high ionic conductivity and low thermal conductivity, together with higher Se values. More recently, an experimental study conducted by IJCLab and SPEC revealed that record Se values can be achieved through the competitive complexation of transition metals in ionic liquid media.Understanding the chemical speciation in solution and the redox properties of the medium is therefore a very important step towards the rational design of thermogalvanic cells. The aim of this thesis is to carry out a fundamental study of the chemical and redox behaviour of solutions of metal salts (Fe, Cu, Ce, etc.) in ionic liquids as a function of temperature and solution composition, as well as their thermogalvanic properties (open circuit Se coefficient and power measurements). The results obtained will reveal the link between certain physico-chemical parameters (redox potential, stability constants of metal complexes) and the thermogalvanic properties of the medium in order to develop new innovative devices for waste heat recovery. Detailed presentation of the research project (+cooperative aspect.The member of staff will carry out a fundamental study of the physicochemical, chemical, electrochemical and thermogalvanic properties of transition metal solutions in ionic liquids using a number of physicochemical and electrochemical methods. This work is to be carried out in close interaction with the other partners in charge of thermogalvanic measurements (SPHYNX/SPEC/CEA) and the formulation and study of complex liquids (liquid dispersion of nanoparticles in ionic liquid-based solvents, including a redox couple for electron transfer) (PHENIX) [4].The thesis programme consists of several parts: 1) Studies of metal ion speciation (with an initial focus on Ce, Fe and Cu) in ionic liquids and LI/organic solvent mixtures, as a function of temperature and ligand content, using spectroscopic methods at the IJCLab. In addition, the interaction of the metal ion with hydrophilic ligands could be studied by affinity capillary electrophoresis in aqueous solutions [5-6]; 2) Studies of the redox properties of metal complexes in ionic liquids by electrochemical methods (cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, numerical simulations) and electrolysis tests of the solutions at the IJCLab; 3) Studies of the thermogalvanic properties of the selected systems (open circuit Se coefficient and power measurements), optimisation of the thermogalvanic cells at SPHYNX/SPEC/CEA; 4) Studies of the compatibility of the redox couple with the colloidal dispersion (in collaboration with the PHENIX partner) at the IJCLab and SPHYNX/SPEC/CEA. Numerous tests of the complex liquids (redox couple/nanoparticle dispersion) for their chemical, electrochemical and thermal stability will be carried out.The physico-chemical properties of the medium (viscosity, density, ionic conductivity, residual water content) will also be determined. Scientific, material and financial conditions of the research project The thesis work will be fully funded by the ANR WH-RECOLTE project. All the necessary equipment will be available in the host laboratory or on the technical platforms of the Université Paris-Saclay. The PhD student will present his/her thesis work at international and national conferences. The results of the thesis will then be published in international peer-reviewed journals. Candidate profile The candidate must hold a Master's degree in Physics (thermodynamics or energy) or Chemistry (physical, analytical or inorganic). A dual chemistry/physics background will be highly appreciated. The position requires a sound knowledge of solution chemistry, physicochemical characterisation methods, thermodynamics and/or renewable energies, good oral and written communication skills (French and English required) and data analysis. We are looking for a young researcher who is committed to the project, curious, with a degree of autonomy and a strong motivation to work in a team on an interdisciplinary project.Références bibliographiques [1] V. Zinovyeva, S. Nakamae, M. Bonetti, M. Roger. Enhanced Thermoelectric Power in Ionic Liquids. ChemElectroChem, 1 (2014) 426-430. [2] M. Bonetti, S. Nakamae, B.T. Huang, T. J. Salez, C. Wiertel-Gasquet, M. Roger. Thermoelectric energy recovery at ionic-liquid/electrode interface. J. Chem. Phys., 142 (2015) 244708. [3] M.F. Dupont, D.R. MacFarlane, J.M. Pringle. Thermo-electrochemical cells for waste heat harvesting – progress and perspectives. Chem. Commun., 53 (2017) 6288-6302. [4] K. Bhattacharya, M. Sarkar, T. J. Salez, S. Nakamae, G. Demouchy, F. Cousin, E. Dubois, L. Michot, R. Perzynski, and V. Peyre. Structural Thermodiffusive and Thermoelectric Properties of Maghemite Nanoparticles Dispersed in Ethylammonium Nitrate. ChemEngineering, 4 (2020) 5. [5] Sladkov, V. Affinity capillary electrophoresis in studying the complex formation equilibria of radionuclides in aqueous solutions. ELECTROPHORESIS, 37 (2016) 2558–2566. [6] Sladkov, V., Roques, J. & Meyer, M. Assignment of complex species by affinity capillary electrophoresis: The case of Th(IV)-desferrioxamine B. ELECTROPHORESIS, 41 (2020) 1870–1877.

Requirements

Research Field

Chemistry

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Chemistry

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Languages

FRENCH

Level

Basic

Research Field

Chemistry » Physical chemistry

Years of Research Experience

None

Research Field

Chemistry » Computational chemistry

Years of Research Experience

None

Additional Information

Website for additional job details

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR9012-BERUST-008/Default.aspx

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Laboratoire de physique des 2 infinis - Irène Joliot-Curie

Country

France

City

ORSAY

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Candidat/Offre/UMR9012-BERUST-008/Candidater.aspx

Contact

City

ORSAY

STATUS: EXPIRED