Combining operando X-ray and Raman spectroscopy for battery material characterisation

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to carry out frontier battery PhD research in leading laboratories within the UK and within international synchrotron facilities in France?

Then this PhD opportunity could be for you!

The aim of the PhD project is to combine within a single measurement: in situ Raman and in situ x-ray spectroscopy and scattering methods for the study of battery materials.

The two methods are complementary providing chemical and structural information at diverse length and time scales and with different sensitivity, thereby allow the chemical and structural correlation during the cycling of the battery electrode.

The project aims to implement Raman spectroscopy into the beamline and used simultaneously during X-ray diffraction, X-ray scattering and X-ray spectroscopy experiments. Raman spectroscopy can give information on the binding of reaction products during electrochemical reactions which can be correlated with the structural information obtained with X-ray techniques to build up a fundamental picture of the structure-function relations in electrochemical systems for energy applications. The project will involve a broad range of Li-ion and Na-ion battery materials and will be opportunities to interact with of a broader European battery characterisation consortium.

The student will obtain training in Raman spectroscopy and introduction into experiments from the Hardwick group based in the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy. The student will obtain training in x-ray methodologies from the Grunder group and through placements at the XMaS beamline at the European synchrotron facility in Grenoble, France. The XMaS facility is the EPSRC mid-range facility for X-ray material characterisation in the UK.

The student will be closely involved with both academic groups and the staff based at the XMaS facility to develop in situ electrochemical and battery cells and to carry out X-ray spectroscopy and Raman experiments to link chemical changes occurring during intercalation processes.

A further aim of the project is to implement shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) surface sensitive experiments within the Raman/X-ray set-up by further developing the in-situ cells to allow also integration of interface and thus link adsorbates to chemical and structural changes