Sodium Ion Battery Development as a way of reducing dependence upon fossil fuels as a contribution towards solving the climate crisis

3 Year Industry-led Funded PhD: Ref. No. CGE51

Reducing dependence upon fossil fuels as a contribution towards solving the climate crisis will require dramatic improvements in battery economics, safety, & manufacturability. Sodium-ion batteries are an attractive candidate for large-scale stationary energy storage due to the low cost of Na & its abundance compared to Li. The goal of the project is to design improved electrode candidates focusing on layered transition metal oxides, specifically P2 & O3-type compounds. These types of materials will be investigated for their potential use in batteries due to their controllable synthesis & high electrochemical activity.

Applicants should be interested in energy storage & hold a minimum 2.1 in Chemistry or similar subject. Relevant work experience may be accounted for.

Industry Partner
Plank Labs was founded within the past year by a group of entrepreneurs with a track record of significant prior entrepreneurial success to radically increase adoption of renewable energy sources (Plank’s founders’ previous companies have created over 200,000 jobs across the globe). The Company has capabilities in software, hardware, industrial design, supply chain management, capital-raising, marketing and sales across three continents. Plank Energy, a division of Plank Labs, has developed an energy storage solution using existing battery chemistries that will be launched in first half of 2017.

Why Apply?
By joining the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation you will:

- Receive £15,000 tax free per year
- Have your postgraduate tuition fees paid for by your partner business, worth c£4,200/year (fees for Non EU/UK graduates are subsidised from £17,085/year to £12,964/year at 2016 rates)
- Become part of a cohort of graduates working with an award-winning team on business-led R&D
- Finish in a strong position to enter a competitive job market in the UK and overseas.

www.globalecoinnovation.org

Application Deadline
Deadline: 25th June 2017

Start: Summer/Autumn 2017

How to apply
To apply for this opportunity please email [Email Address Removed] with:

- A CV (2 pages maximum)
- PhD Application Form http://bit.ly/cgephdap
- Application Criteria Document http://bit.ly/cgephdapcr
- Funded PhD Reference Form http://bit.ly/cgephdref
- Reference number: CGE51