Recycled polymer electrolytes for sustainable sodium ion batteries

About the Project

These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.

Electrochemical storage devices, such as batteries or capacitors, can balance the variability of renewable energy sources, contribute to decarbonise economies, and ultimately help reach net-zero targets. Even though lithium-based batteries and related technologies already have a prominent market in mobility applications, the widespread use of lithium poses important sustainability challenges based on its limited availability and the associated cost, as battery demand continues to grow. Sodium (Na) is an attractive alternative to lithium, due to its high availability, low cost, and promising electrochemical performance. There are still several challenges that must be overcome to bring sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) to a pre-commercial stage, based on the larger atomic weight of sodium that affects voltage ranges, capabilities, and cycling performance. In this project we will develop new sustainable electrolytes for sodium ion batteries (NIBs) and will investigate the transport and electrochemical mechanisms that control their performance. We will use recycled polymers as the main material at the electrolyte, doped with different Na ionic salts, and we will combine physic-chemical characterisation techniques and impedance spectroscopy to correlate structure with ion conductivity. Selected electrolytes will be then assembled with new electrodes, and the battery performance will be assessed under cyclic conditions at lab-scale. Our outcomes will be used to design the new generation of NIBs, and establish pathways for future commercialisation.

Candidates must have a strong academic background in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Sciences, and related Undergraduate and Masters degrees.

Application Procedure:

Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php.

You should apply for PhD in Engineering to ensure your application is passed to the correct team for processing.

Please clearly note the name of the lead supervisor and project title on the application form. If you do not include these details, it may not be considered for the studentship.

Your application must include: A personal statement, an up-to-date copy of your academic CV, and clear copies of your educational certificates and transcripts.

Please note: you do not need to provide a research proposal with this application.

Informal enquiries can be made by contacting Dr A Martinez-Felipe at a.martinez-felipe@abdn.ac.uk. If you require any additional assistance in submitting your application or have any queries about the application process, please don't hesitate to contact us at researchadmissions@abdn.ac.uk

Funding Notes

This is a self-funding project open to students worldwide. Our typical start dates for this programme are February or October.

Fees for this programme can be found here Finance and Funding | Study Here | The University of Aberdeen