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Prof Frédéric Blanc
Applications accepted all year round
About the Project
Applications are invited for a graduate to join the Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, UK for a funded 42-month PhD studentship.
The understanding of the structure of new and existing energy materials is challenging and structure elucidations is often performed with well-established experimental methods like diffraction, X-ray absorption and microscopy (yielding long-range order and average structures). Although this approach is robust and extremely powerful, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the richest source of structural and dynamics information in powdered solids and the use of modern solid state NMR techniques (combining recent development in NMR hardware and probe design) in combination with first principles calculations has recently offered interesting opportunities into the local structure and ion mobility (e.g. H+, Li+, Na+ and O2-) in solid state electrolytes. Using this approach, insights into the defect structures of a range of anionic and protonic conductors having the perovskite and fluorite structures have been obtained and shed the light into the importance of cation ordering. In addition, the ionic mobility has been observed directly and NMR conductivity been measured. These results have highlighted spectroscopic evidence for trapping sites and ways of reducing the dopant association energy for which materials with higher conductivities have been calculated. While early work was centre around materials where the mobile oxide species are vacancies on the anion sublattice, there has been growing interest in materials where excess oxide ions (interstitials) carry the charge carrier. Insight into the local structure and ionic mobility of these materials from solid state NMR is scarce, and will be the focus of this work.
The project will involve preparation of materials and collaboration with materials research group within the department and beyond, and the development and application of NMR methods to study fast ion conductors. The candidate will receive complete training in NMR spectroscopy and will use the newly refurnished state of the art 400 MHz solid state NMR spectrometer available in the department as well as other high field NMR instruments in the UK and worldwide.
The successful applicant should have at least a 2:1 Honours degree in the UK/EU, or equivalent qualification, in chemistry, physics, materials science or a closely related subject. The candidate should be highly motivated and have competent English communication skills. A background in NMR spectroscopy would be an advantage.
Applications should include a cover letter, a full CV and the names of two referees, and should be sent to Dr. Frédéric Blanc ([Email Address Removed]).
The initial studentship stipend is £13,590 per year.
The understanding of the structure of new and existing energy materials is challenging and structure elucidations is often performed with well-established experimental methods like diffraction, X-ray absorption and microscopy (yielding long-range order and average structures). Although this approach is robust and extremely powerful, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the richest source of structural and dynamics information in powdered solids and the use of modern solid state NMR techniques (combining recent development in NMR hardware and probe design) in combination with first principles calculations has recently offered interesting opportunities into the local structure and ion mobility (e.g. H+, Li+, Na+ and O2-) in solid state electrolytes. Using this approach, insights into the defect structures of a range of anionic and protonic conductors having the perovskite and fluorite structures have been obtained and shed the light into the importance of cation ordering. In addition, the ionic mobility has been observed directly and NMR conductivity been measured. These results have highlighted spectroscopic evidence for trapping sites and ways of reducing the dopant association energy for which materials with higher conductivities have been calculated. While early work was centre around materials where the mobile oxide species are vacancies on the anion sublattice, there has been growing interest in materials where excess oxide ions (interstitials) carry the charge carrier. Insight into the local structure and ionic mobility of these materials from solid state NMR is scarce, and will be the focus of this work.
The project will involve preparation of materials and collaboration with materials research group within the department and beyond, and the development and application of NMR methods to study fast ion conductors. The candidate will receive complete training in NMR spectroscopy and will use the newly refurnished state of the art 400 MHz solid state NMR spectrometer available in the department as well as other high field NMR instruments in the UK and worldwide.
The successful applicant should have at least a 2:1 Honours degree in the UK/EU, or equivalent qualification, in chemistry, physics, materials science or a closely related subject. The candidate should be highly motivated and have competent English communication skills. A background in NMR spectroscopy would be an advantage.
Applications should include a cover letter, a full CV and the names of two referees, and should be sent to Dr. Frédéric Blanc ([Email Address Removed]).
The initial studentship stipend is £13,590 per year.
Funding Notes
Please note that only UK/EU students are eligible to apply for this PhD studentship vacancy due to funding restrictions.
References
Nature Materials, in press. doi:10.1038/nmat3638
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 2975-2978.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 14483-14498.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 2975-2978.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 14483-14498.
Project supervisors
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