Postdoctoral Researcher Printed Batteries, Trinity College Dublin

POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW

Post Summary

Overview of the role

The Characterisation & Processing of Advanced Materials Research Group, led by Professor Valeria Nicolosi, is currently seeking a Research Fellow with significant practical experience in electrochemistry and battery research.

 The candidate will have a PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science or a related discipline, or equivalent experience, with significant postdoctoral research experience in battery research.

This project will use a multidisciplinary approach, whereby novel nanomaterials, existing knowledge on nanoscale processing and established expertise in device fabrication and testing will be brought together to focus on creating more efficient battery technologies beyond lithium, and more specifically Na-ion and K-ion batteries.

 

Background to the Post

Professor Nicolosi leads the Characterisation & Processing of Advanced Materials Group (http://physics.tcd.ie/cpam/) within the School of Chemistry. The group is devoted to the processing and electron microscopy structural characterization of low-dimensional nanostructures. Dispersability, processability, and manipulation of these objects are important objectives of the group. In the group, particular attention is given to the study of the material atomic structures to better understand their fundamental physical and chemical properties. The group works on a range of low-dimensional nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, inorganic nanowires, graphene, and other inorganic two-dimensional nano-sheets.

 

Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

The post holder will be responsible for the development of electrolyte chemistries and will be a highly experienced electrochemist.

The post holder will be responsible for the development of printing methods for the use of nanomaterials inks as Na-ion and K-ion battery electrodes and their full electrochemical characterization. A key aspect of this project will be the close collaboration within the team (especially regarding nanomaterials processing and electron microscopy characterisation in order to gain a better understanding of the materials’ chemical and physical behaviour and the structure and morphology of starting materials and electrode composites.

S/he will be expected to take on the day-to-day running of the part of the research program under the direction of Professor Nicolosi.

The core tasks are as follows:

1. Fabrication and electrochemical testing of electrodes by conventional slurry casting & by 3D printing. This phase of the project will focus on the investigation of different arrangements and electrode deposition techniques, such as spraying vs vacuum filtration, printing, slurry-casting and different electrolytes.

Characterization techniques required will be: Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic charging/discharging, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), etc.

2. Coin-cell assembly.

3. Writing papers and giving presentations on the research conducted.

4. Helping with the day to day running of the research group, training and supervising students, procuring orders, managing the laboratories.

Selection criteria

Essential

• Significant practical experience, good knowledge of battery and printed batteries theory
• Demonstrable expertise in Electrochemical characterization: impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic charging/discharging
• Demonstrable expertise in both half-cell and full-cell testing, with both coin-cell and pouch-cell assembly.
• Proven knowledge of chemistry and electrochemistry.
• Well-organised and self-motivated with the ability to manage the day-to-day running of a research project, to identify research objectives and to carry out appropriate research activities within a given timescale.
• Excellent oral and communication skills, including the proven ability to write in English at a suitable standard for the preparation of written reports, publications and presentations of the work at generalist and specialist levels, including discussions with engineers and scientists in different fields.
• Willingness to travel to collaborators across Europe and worldwide and to conferences to disseminate results.

 

Desirable

• A strong publication record in internationally peer-reviewed journals
• Experience working with industrial collaborators.
• Experience in the training and supervision of junior researchers.
• Experience with coin cell characterisation
• Experience in the training and supervision of junior researchers.

Skills & Competencies

• Well-organized and self-motivated with the ability to manage the day-to-day running of a research project, identify research objectives, and to carry out appropriate research activities within a given timescale.
• Excellent oral and communication skills, including the proven ability to write in English at a suitable standard for the preparation of written reports, publications, and presentations of the work at generalist and specialist levels, including discussions with engineers and scientists in different fields.
• Willingness to travel to collaborators across Europe and to conferences to disseminate results.

 

Funding Information

Prof Valeria Nicolosi has been awarded a grant from Research Ireland to research into the development of 3D Printed Batteries. This project will use a multidisciplinary approach, where novel nanomaterials, existing knowledge on nano-scale processing, and established expertise in device fabrication and testing will be brought together to focus on creating more efficient printed batteries.

 

Person Specification

Qualifications

A PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a related discipline. (ESSENTIAL).

 

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit a Cover letter and a full Curriculum Vitae including the names and contact details of 2 referees (including email addresses), to:-
 

Jesus Barco Montero

barcomoj@tcd.ie