Overview: We are looking for a motivated student who can start around Fall 2022 or Spring 2023. The prospective Ph.D. student will work on the instability mechanisms in transition metal oxide cathodes for Na-ion batteries.
Background: Increasing energy demand associated with the growing population, environmental concerns, and technological advancements imposes pressure on modern society to utilize renewable energy sources. Sodium (Na)-ion batteries are promising candidates for large-scale/grid-scale energy storage in terms of availability of raw sources, cost reduction and its environmentally benign nature. However, the electrochemical performance of Na-ion batteries suffers from short cycle life and rapid capacity fade due to severe instabilities in the cathode materials. Lack of understanding of instability mechanisms limits the design of novel cathode materials for Na-ion batteries.
Job Description: Ph.D. student will investigate the impact of transition metals, operation voltage and electrolyte chemistry on chemo-mechanical instabilities in transition metal oxides cathodes for Na-ion batteries. Detailed project descriptions and planning will be undertaken directly with the successful candidate. The student will develop exceptional skills and expertise in the areas of electrochemistry, defect chemistry, mechanics of materials, and material fabrication during his/her studies. The student will learn in situ techniques to monitor stress /strain evolution in the cathode materials. The selected candidate will present their work at international conferences such as AlCHE and ECS. The student will also have opportunities to closely work with scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory and Bar-Ilan University.
How to apply: Potential candidates should send their CV, motivation letter and transcript to ocapraz@okstate.edu. Please put “Prospective Ph.D. Student for Na-ion Cathode Project” in the e-mail title. For more information about the group, please visit https://www.ameelab.com/.
