2x PhD students on the development of new battery materials

Do you want to combat climate change? Are you fascinated by electrochemistry and polymer science? Do you want to work in a multidisciplinary team? Would you like to develop large-scale batteries?

Irène Curie Fellowship

No

Department(s)

Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Reference number

V37.6300

The transition to a renewable energy economy will necessitate the deployment of a massive amount of energy storage to integrate renewables and balance demand and supply. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop battery technologies that can be scaled-up to fulfill the stringent requirements of the grid, and most important, store electricity at very low cost.  FAIR-RFB (Engineered Porous Electrodes to Unlock Ultra-low Cost Fe-air Redox Flow Batteries) is an ambitious research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant) and we are currently building a team of talented and enthusiastic researchers to tackle this challenging research program. The main aim is to develop a low cost and long-duration energy storage system (e.g. a “giant battery”) for large scale energy storage. In this project, we will focus on the fundamental science of porous electrodes, which are the core of next-generation battery technologies and determine their performance, durability and cost.

In this project, we are looking for two PhD students to unravel fundamental phenomena in porous electrodes. The specific roles of each vacancy are:

• PhD position 1 (porous electrodes): the PhD researcher will work on developing new porous electrodes by using polymer phase separation. The researcher shall develop a deep understanding of polymer dynamics and phase separation thermodynamics to be able to predict the resulting polymer structures and their relationship to the final battery performance. Our ultimate goal is to build an experimental pipeline, supported by theory, to synthesize porous electrodes with controlled three-dimension structures and composition for metal-air redox flow batteries. This multidisciplinary project will leverage principles of polymer chemistry and physics, electrochemical engineering, and transport phenomena.

• PhD position 2 (surface science): the PhD researcher will develop functional electrode interfaces for next-generation redox flow batteries. The research shall develop fundamental understand about the relationship between electrode interface and resulting electrochemical performance (i.e. kinetic activity, selectivity, stability). The researcher will regularly employ a new state-of-the-art electrochemical scanning microscope to map out electrochemical phenomena at the nanoscale. This multidisciplinary project will build upon principles in chemistry, surface science, electrochemistry, and microscopy.

Please include your preferred position in your cover letter. It is also acceptable to be interested in both positions.

• A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related disciplines.
• We are looking for a talented, motivated and enthusiastic researcher. Analytical skills, initiative and creativity are highly desired.
• You are a naturally curious person who is eager to learn more and has a strong interest in research.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are a prerequisite.
• We prefer candidates with a good team spirit, who like to work in an internationally oriented, social environment.

An interview, a scientific presentation and a writing assignment are part of the selection procedure.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months. You will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process .
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow. 

The TU/e offers academic education that is driven by fundamental and applied research. We combine scientific curiosity with a hands-on mentality. Our educational philosophy is based on personal attention and room for individual ambitions and talents. Our research meets the highest international standards of quality. We push the limits of science, which puts us at the forefront of rapidly emerging areas of research.

Electrochemical Materials and Systems Laboratory

The Electrochemical Materials and Systems Laboratory is led by dr. Forner-Cuenca (www.fornercuencaresearch.com ). We aim to accelerate the deployment of transformative energy technologies in the real world. To do so, we employ fundamental principles at the convergence of materials science, electrochemical engineering, and surface science to synthesize, characterize, simulate, and implement novel materials into next-generation electrochemical devices. Areas of application include large-scale energy storage with flow batteries, energy conversion through hydrogen fuel cell, and sustainable manufacturing with electrolysis.

Membrane Materials and Processes at Eindhoven University of Technology

The chair Membrane Materials and Processes (www.tue.nl/mmp ) at the department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology (www.tue.nl ) focuses on the design and development of polymer membranes and porous electrodes to control mass transport in sustainable processes. The chair combines and integrates materials chemistry, electrochemical engineering, and process technology. Application areas are water and energy, with a strong focus on the recovery and reuse of resources, the valorization of waste streams and energy efficiency. ‘Closing cycles’ and ‘value from waste’ are leading themes in the research program. Next to fundamental academic research, application-oriented research in close collaboration with the industry is stimulated.

The PhD student will work in the Electrochemical Materials and Systems Laboratory, which is part of the Membrane Materials and Processes chair. Further information about the Electrochemical Materials and Systems Laboratory, see www.fornercuencaresearch.com . More information about the chair on Membrane Materials and Processes can be found at www.tue.nl/mmp and more information about Eindhoven University of Technology and the department of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry is available at www.tue.nl . We anticipate close collaboration with the Physical Chemistry group (https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/physical-chemistry/ ) to acquire a deeper theoretical understanding of phase separation.

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact the hiring manager dr. Antoni Forner-Cuenca (e-mail: a.forner.cuenca[at]tue.nl, phone: +31 40 247 6258).

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment. You can also contact ms. P.J. van de Weijer (Sandra), HR-advisor, p.j.v.d.weijer[at]tue.nl.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page .

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. Candidates possessing both suitable experience and qualifications are invited to apply. The application should include a:

• a motivation letter.
• a curriculum vitae (including contact details of at least two references).
• a list of BSc and MSc courses and grades.

Review of applications will start as soon as applications are received and will continue until the position has been filled. You can upload a maximum of 5 documents of up to 2MB each. Only applications that are submitted in this way are taken into account.