Context Batteries play an essential role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. Li-ion batteries currently dominate the market and research, but they unfortunately rely on rare and expensive elements, and pose serious safety hazards due to the use of highly flammable organic electrolytes. Aqueous batteries are ideally suited to overcome these issues – they use a water-based electrolyte, eliminating the risk of fires, and can employ electrode materials made of cheap and abundant elements. However, they currently suffer from low energy density and short cycle life, meaning that they are not yet a practical solution. A detailed mechanistic understanding of the underlying reasons for this is often lacking, which limits the possibilities for rational improvement of aqueous batteries.
Goal The goal of this PhD project is to develop and apply NMR spectroscopy for the investigation of promising aqueous battery systems in order to understand their operation and failure mechanisms. The project will provide valuable fundamental insights and contribute to the development of competitive, safe and cheap aqueous batteries. NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for investigating batteries – it allows element-specific characterisation of structure and dynamics in both ordered and disordered systems, and can even be applied to working batteries (
operando studies).
The PhD work will involve - Electrochemistry: Preparation, cycling and optimisation of aqueous batteries for NMR characterisation
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Ex situ solid-state NMR: Developing and applying NMR experiments on cycled aqueous battery electrodes
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Operando NMR: Performing NMR measurements on full working aqueous batteries
During the thesis, the student will acquire strong skills in solid-state NMR spectroscopy. In addition to this, they will develop expertise in batteries and battery technology, which is highly sought-after by academic and industrial employers.
Recent publications
C. Xu,
K. Märker, J. Lee, A. Mahadevegowda, P. J. Reeves, S. J. Day, M. F. Groh, S. P. Emge, C. Ducati, B. L. Mehdi, C. C. Tang, C. P. Grey
Bulk fatigue induced by surface reconstruction in layered Ni-rich cathodes for Li-ion batteries.
Nat. Mater. 20 (2021) 84
K. Märker, C. Xu, C. P. Grey
Operando NMR of NMC811/graphite lithium-ion batteries: Structure, dynamics, and lithium metal deposition.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142 (2020) 17447
K. Märker, P. J. Reeves, C. Xu, K. J. Griffith, C. P. Grey
Evolution of structure and lithium dynamics in LiNi
0.8Mn
0.1Co
0.1O
2 (NMC811) cathodes during electrochemical cycling.
Chem. Mater. 31 (2019) 2545
The work will be carried out at the Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble (IRIG) which is part of the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission). The student will work in the group of Katharina Märker in the magnetic resonance laboratory (LRM) which belongs to the Modeling and Exploration of Materials (MEM) laboratory of IRIG. The LRM has strong expertise in NMR studies of batteries, and is also very active in other applications of NMR such as materials and biomolecules as well as instrumentation and methodology development. Regular exchanges with other researchers in the LRM as well as within the large battery research community at CEA Grenoble will contribute to a broad education in NMR spectroscopy and battery research.
Grenoble is a vibrant and international city at the foot of the French Alps, offering urban life as well as access to the mountains in under an hour. Switzerland, Italy, and the Mediterranean Sea are also just a few hours’ drive away.
Candidate profile The candidate needs to have good knowledge in (physical) chemistry and a strong interest in NMR spectroscopy. First research experience in NMR spectroscopy and/or batteries will be a plus. Good knowledge of English is essential; knowledge of French is not required.
How to apply? Please submit a motivation letter and a CV to
Katharina Märker.