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Supervisory Team: Chris Holmes, Pier Sazio, Nuria Garcia, Andrew Hector
Project description
Ensuring the safety of lithium batteries is a top priority in battery development. Safety concerns are inherent in current lithium-ion batteries and stem from the use of organic liquid solvents. Solid state batteries offer the potential for inherent safety and higher energy density. However, despite these advantages, their current practical performance is hindered by significant challenges in materials and manufacturing processes.
This project will employ a novel and disruptive manufacturing approach, never used before in the battery field, to produce all-glass solid-state batteries with enhanced performance and safety. The fusion draw method, used commercially for smart phone screens, will be employed to produce ultrathin and virtually defect-free films that will be sandwiched together to form the batteries. The project builds on the success of a previous project, led by Chris Holmes and Pier Sazio, in which the same manufacturing method was used for producing planar optics. The selection, synthesis and characterisation of the materials to build the batteries will be done in collaboration with battery experts from the School of Chemistry (Nuria Garcia-Araez and Andrew Hector). The project will also involve two postdoctoral researchers (one hosted in ORC and the other one in Chemistry), and a suite of word-class manufacturing and characterisation facilities, leveraging a recently awarded, £1.2 million, research grant.
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact
Nuria Garcia-Araez, Email: n.garcia-araez@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 3519.
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Chris Holmes, Email: christopher.holmes@southampton.ac.uk.
Entry Requirements
A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).
Closing date
Applications are accepted throughout the year.
The start date will typically be late September, but other dates are possible.
Funding
For UK students, tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus £2,000 ORC enhancement tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years (totalling around £21,000 for 2024/25, rising annually). EU and Horizon Europe students are eligible for scholarships. CSC students are eligible for fee waivers. Funding for other international applicants is very limited and highly competitive. Overseas students who have secured or are seeking external funding are welcome to apply.
How To Apply
Apply online: Search for a Postgraduate Programme of Study (soton.ac.uk). Select programme type (Research), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD ORC”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor.
Applications should include:
Curriculum Vitae
Two reference letters
Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date
For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk
The School of Zepler Institute is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
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