Post Doctoral Researcher

Maynooth University is seeking to recruit a post-doctoral researcher to work on a SFI-funded research project titled ‘The fabrication of conducting 2D layered graphene-like materials and their applications as environmental sensors and as electro-catalysts for electro-Fenton: Improved sensing and removal of emerging pollutants from water.’ The successful candidate will join the Electrochemistry and Materials research groups and will be directed and supervised by Professor Carmel Breslin (PI) and Dr. Eithne Dempsey (co-PI) in the Department of Chemistry. The project will involve the hydrothermal synthesis of two dimensional materials that can be employed to fabricate electro-catalysts for the generation of H2O2 and hydroxyl radicals (HO•) in an electro-Fenton cell. The fabricated 2D materials will also be used to form electrochemical sensors. The sensors will be employed to detect various aquatic contaminants, while the electro-Fenton cell will be used to mineralise the detected contaminants.

The candidate is expected to develop and optimise the hydrothermal synthesis and the exfoliation of the 2D materials using a combination of liquid phase exfoliation and electrochemical approaches. The candidate will use various high resolution surface analytical techniques to characterise the 2D electro-catalysts, and then focus on appropriate fabrication methods for the formation of the sensors and the electro-Fenton cell.

Salary

Post-doctoral Researcher:                                 €38,631 per annum (with annual increments)

Appointment will be made in accordance with the Department of Finance pay guidelines.