PhD Studentship: Battery Materials

A PhD studentship is available to work on a collaborative project with Dr Israel Temprano and Professor Dame Clare Grey at the University of Cambridge, Dr Arnaud Demortière at LRCS in Amiens, France, and Dr Elixabete Ayerbe at Cidetec Energy Storage, San Sebastian, Spain. This project, funded by the ALISTORE European Research Institute, aims to provide a mechanistic understanding of the behaviour of aqueous-processed high-energy cathodes using advanced operando characterisation tools. The project is highly collaborative in nature and will involve travelling between the partners by the student.

Battery cathodes are typically fabricated by homogenising a mixture of active materials and conductive additives (such as carbon black) with binders (polyvinylidene fluoride being the industry standard), using N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP). However, because of toxicity and stability issues, there is great interest in alternative aqueous-based high-energy cathode materials, the development of which could pave the way to lower-cost, environment-friendly, energy-dense battery cells. Reports on the performance of such materials exist in the literature, but an in-depth mechanistic understanding of this processing method is severely lacking.

The goal of this project is to address this lack of in-depth information using advanced operando techniques, providing a mechanistic understanding of the effect of aqueous processing on the stability, degradation mechanisms, particle expansion, etc. of high-nickel NMC cathodes, and relating these to electrode performance. The study will include aspects of electrode fabrication, mechanical properties, electrochemistry, mechanistic understanding of electrode stability and degradation, effect of microstructure on performance.

The studentship will commence in October 2025 and will provide a maintenance grant at the UKRI national rate, and tuition fees at the UK/home rate for 3 years. Non-UK applicants will be considered if they are able to fund the overseas fees differential, or if they are awarded a suitable scholarship. Full details of the University's entrance requirements and scholarships are specified on the following link: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk