Atomistic Computer Modelling of New Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The University of Bath is inviting applications for a PhD opportunity in the Department of Chemistry under the supervision of Prof Saiful Islam and Dr Benjamin Morgan.

Funding is available to candidates who qualify for ‘Home’ fee status only. Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the rules governing fee status have changed and, therefore, candidates from the EU/EEA are advised to check their eligibility before applying. Please see the Funding Eligibility section below.

Lithium-ion batteries have helped to power the portable electronics revolution. Developing next-generation batteries for electric vehicles and low carbon energy storage requires new sustainable materials.

This PhD project deals with exciting studies to investigate new cathode and solid electrolyte materials for lithium batteries for electric vehicles using state-of-the-art computer modelling techniques. The materials modelling techniques include DFT and potentials-based methods to study structural, electronic and surface properties of novel oxide and mixed-anion compounds.

This project is part of the Faraday Institution CATMAT programme. The student will gain considerable experience in a range of cutting-edge computational techniques, and will interact with related experimental synthesis and electrochemical work on battery materials within the Faraday Institution project including labs at Oxford and Birmingham.

See our Group website for research papers.

Candidate Requirements:

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or good Upper Second Class Honours degree (or the equivalent) in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science or a related discipline. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement.

Enquiries and Applications:

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Prof Saiful Islam (m.s.islam@bath.ac.uk).

Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Chemistry.

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.

We will be reviewing applications constantly up to the application deadline.

Funding Eligibility:

In order to be considered for a studentship, you must qualify as a ‘Home’ student. In determining ‘Home’ student status, we follow the UK government’s fee regulations and guidance which, when available, will be set out by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) on their website. At the time of advertising this project, the fee regulations for 2021/22 have not yet been published, but we expect (subject to confirmation) that the main categories of students generally eligible for ‘Home’ fee status will be:

• UK nationals (who have lived in the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland continuously since September 2018)
• Irish nationals (who have lived in the UK or Ireland continuously since September 2018)
• EU/EEA applicants with settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme (who have lived in the UK continuously since September 2018)
• EU/EEA applicants with pre-settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme (who have lived in the UK, EU, EEA, Switzerland or Gibraltar continuously since September 2018)
• Applicants with indefinite leave to enter/remain in the UK (who have been resident in the UK continuously since September 2018)

EU/EEA citizens who live outside the UK are unlikely to be eligible for ‘Home’ fees and funding.

Additional information may be found on our fee status guidance webpage, on the GOV.UK website and on the UKCISA website.