PhD Position: Nano and micro structuring of carbon electrode surface

Job description

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks are joint research and training projects funded by the European Union.

Funding is provided for doctoral candidates from both inside and outside Europe to carry out individual project work in a European country other than their own.

The training network “SPACER” is made up of 21 partners, coordinated by Fraunhofer ICT in Germany.

The network will recruit a total of 17 doctoral candidates for project work lasting for 36 months.

SPACER aims to develop new architectures for porous electrodes to improve the power density and energy efficiency of redox flow batteries (RFB), enabling affordable and durable long-duration energy storage.

The approach is to use hierarchical structures, i.e. complex material layers that can be optimized to specific battery chemistries and flow phenomena from the microscale up.

The developed technologies will be validated in half-cells and full working batteries at industrial partners at TRL 6.

The advertized subproject is fully funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie European training Network SPACER.

It will be carried out by one doctoral candidate at Fraunhofer ICT, (PhD supervision at University of Bayreuth in Germany) over a period of 36 months.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal near Karlsruhe is one of approx.

75 Fraunhofer institutes in Germany.

Its department for Applied Electrochemistry covers research on batteries, fuel cells, electrolyser, sensors and flow batteries.

The Redox Flow Battery Group has been working for over 15 years in the fields of electrochemical characterization of materials such as electrodes, membranes and electrolytes, cell and stack development, system characterization and development, novel and optimized electrolytes, manufacturing methods and industrial scaling.

The investigations and developments range in size from atoms to the MW range for application in the grid.

The goal of this doctoral thesis is to apply various procedures such as electrochemical wet treatment, covalent bonding, targeted surface functionalization to modify the surface of carbon electrode materials. 

The recruited researcher will investigate the influence of treatment procedures on the surface and electrochemical properties of carbon electrodes.

These modified electrode materials will be used for better understanding of vanadium electrode reactions, which provide a basis for vanadium flow battery chemistry and the possibility to reduce battery costs by optimization of the materials.

The developed procedures for carbon surface modification will be upscaled to meso-scale to test modified materials in laboratory cells, i.e. battery prototypes.

What you will do

•    Multiscale modelling to better understand RFB behavior and identify optimal hierarchical shaped pore- and electrode-structure to encounter optimum electrolyte as well as electrical flow. 
•    Prototyping of the identified structures via stereolithographic, 3D printing and textile techniques like tufting, machine-based embroidery techniques or non-interlaced 3D pre-forming. 
•    Development of advanced imaging and characterization technologies (X-ray micro tomography, EPR imaging and spectroscopy) to evaluate performance of electrodes and to map electrolyte chemical composition in micrometer resolution, allowing validation of the model predictions.

 
•    Validation and evaluation of the RFBs with optimized hierarchical electrodes

What you bring to the table

• Very good master´s degree in chemistry, material science, chemical process engineering or a related discipline


• In accordance with the European Union’s funding rules for doctoral networks, applicants must NOT yet have a PhD


• Familiarity with instrumental analytical techniques in chemistry, surface chemistry or physics (electrochemistry is an advantage)


• Experience and interest in working in a chemical laboratory, in a cross-disciplinary, collaborative project


• Willingness to cooperate with project partners, who perform modelling and data management, to report results in conferences and project meetings.


• Self-motivation, well-structured working style as well as ability to contribute effectively to the team.


• Fluency in English (German is beneficial)

What you can expect

• Opportunity to work as part of an international, interdisciplinary team of 17 doctoral candidates, based at universities and industrial firms throughout Europe


• Support from two mentors within the SPACER project, with multiple opportunities to participate in professional and personal development training


• Gain a unique skill set at the interface between materials science and battery technology, including modelling and prototyping of electrode materials, as well as characterization of electrodes using spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques at scales ranging from nano to micro


• Expected to complete the project with a PhD thesis and to disseminate results through patents (if applicable), publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at international conferences


• Flexible working hours thanks to a flextime agreement


• Options for mobile/remote working


• 39 working hours per week and 30 vacation days per year


• On-campus parking, canteen, and library


• … and much more!

The working conditions follow the standards set by the EU Research Framework Programme Horizon Europe – MSCA, as outlined on the official European Commission website:

Eligibility criteria
The applicant must not have resided or carried out her/ his main activity (work, studies etc.) in Germany for more than 12 months in the past 3 years.

Salary

The Doctoral Network “SPACER” is financed by the European Union under the framework of the program HORIZON Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

The doctoral candidate will be hired for 36 months under contract by Fraunhofer ICT, with a monthly gross salary of approx.

3900 € (including mobility allowance, but excluding other allowances that depend on eligibility, e.g. family allowance, special needs allowance).

With its focus on developing key technologies that are vital for the future and enabling the commercial utilization of this work by business and industry, Fraunhofer plays a central role in the innovation process.

As a pioneer and catalyst for groundbreaking developments and scientific excellence, Fraunhofer helps shape society now and in the future. 

Interested?

Apply online now.

We look forward to getting to know you!
 

Contact:

Annabelle Maletzko

Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT 

Requisition Number: 81189                Application Deadline: 09/30/2025

Required Skill Profession

Physical Scientists