Novel Superprotonic Materials for Hydrogen Technologies

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. 

Hydrogen is a future energy vector that will allow us to make the transition away from fossil fuels towards sustainable ways of energy generation. In the UK alone, the implementation of a low-carbon hydrogen economy could deliver total emissions savings of around 41 million tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to the carbon captured by 700 million trees. The implementation of a functioning hydrogen economy necessitates materials able to transport hydrogen ions (protons, H⁺) at the atomic level. These solid-state proton conductors (SSPCs) are essential for the development of hydrogen-based technologies such as fuel cells, which can produce green electrical energy from hydrogen. However, current SSPCs require high working temperatures and complex water management systems to operate. These factors pose unfavourable challenges, making the current hydrogen technologies costly and inefficient. 

This project aims to overcome these challenges by developing new materials that can conduct protons at ambient conditions and without the need for humidification. This proposal builds on our recent ground-breaking discovery of a new zirconium acid phosphate, ZrH₅(PO₄)₃ (ZrP3), with record-high proton conductivity. ZrP3 constitutes the first example of a "superprotonic" conductor able to operate at room temperature under anhydrous conditions. This is a new exciting direction in solid-state chemistry research. 

The aim of this PhD project is to expand the material library of these novel superprotonic conductors and to use targeted chemical modifications for the development of new SSPCs for application in transformative energy technologies. A combination of solid-state and soft chemistry synthesis methods will be employed for the preparation of new superprotonic materials. A range of electrochemical (impedance spectroscopy, etc.), physicochemical (thermogravimetric analysis, electron microscopy, etc.) and spectroscopy (IR, Raman, etc.) methods will be employed for the analysis of the properties of the new materials. An important part of the project will be the characterisation of the crystal structures of the materials via the use of X-ray and neutron diffraction. There will be the opportunity to perform neutron scattering experiments at world-leading facilities such as the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in Oxfordshire and the Institut Laue Langevin in Grenoble (France).

This project is in collaboration with Prof Anna Donnadio’s research group at the University of Perugia (Italy) and there will be the opportunity for exchange visits, as well as for attending conferences and training courses.

Informal enquiries are encouraged. Please contact Dr Sacha Fop (sacha.fop1@abdn.ac.uk) for further information.

Essential Background:

Decisions will be based on academic merit. The successful applicant should have, or expect to obtain, a UK Honours Degree at 2.1 (or equivalent) in Chemistry, Materials Science or any other related subject relevant to the field. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to having a diverse, inclusive team. .

Application Procedure:

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

You should apply for Chemistry (PhD) 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.

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 pgrs-admissions@abdn.ac.uk