18-month postdoctoral position in Ni-Al alloy cathode development for hydrogen production

ABG - Association Bernard Gregory; France; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

UTBM seeks a postdoctoral researcher to model hydrogen gas bubble nucleation, growth, detachment, and removal in Raney Ni-based cathodes for alkaline water electrolysis. The project combines multiphase simulations with physical experiments to study bubble dynamics and pore structure.

The candidate will lead CFD simulations, review models, and assess pore effects on mass transport, while developing scalable tools for industrial electrolyzers. Collaboration with partners is required.

Qualifications

• PhD required in Mechanical Engineering.
• Strong CFD and multiphysics experience.
• Experience with bubble nucleation in porous media preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the gas-liquid simulation and bubble dynamics work stream through the project duration.
• Perform CFD simulations of hydrogen bubble dynamics in alkaline electrolysis under laboratory conditions.
• Investigate effects of pore size, shape, porosity, connectivity, and surface properties on bubble behavior.
• Evaluate coating design strategies to reduce bubble accumulation and improve mass transport.
• Develop CFD models for industrial cell configurations to guide scalable electrolyzer design.
• Test, validate, and analyze data from demonstrators; document findings.

Skills

CFD simulations

Multiphysics simulations

Bubble dynamics in porous media

COMSOL

ANSYS Fluent

Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

COMSOL

ANSYS Fluent

Job description

Organisation/Company UTBM Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Leading Researcher (R4) First Stage Researcher (R1) Established Researcher (R3) Application Deadline 19 Nov 2026 - 22:00 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

This postdoctoral R&D project will focus on the modeling and analysis of hydrogen (H₂) gas bubble nucleation, growth, detachment, and removal in porous Raney Ni-based cathodes for alkaline water electrolysis. The research will combine multiphase and multiphysics numerical simulations with physical experiments to investigate the dynamic behavior of bubbles and their relationship with pore structure, including pore size, pore shape, porosity, and connectivity.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations will be employed to assess the in-operando gas-liquid two-phase flow behavior of developed catalyst layers within alkaline electrolysis cells. This approach will enable:

• Performance benchmarking against reference catalysts and electrode structures;
• Investigation of the influence of porous coating architecture on bubble transport and mass transfer;
• The creation of a virtual platform for testing and optimizing innovative Raney electrode design concepts.

The simulation results will deepen the theoretical understanding of electrode processes, particularly for water electrolysis using Raney alloy-based coatings produced via thermal spraying and subsequent leaching. The data will also support comparisons between experimental observations and numerical models, providing guidance for the design of scalable, high-performance cathodic porous electrodes.

The selected candidate will be responsible for leading the gas-liquid simulation and bubble dynamics part of the project through the end of the postdoctoral period. Key tasks will include:

• Conducting a comprehensive literature review on models for gas bubble nucleation, growth, detachment, coalescence, and removal from porous electrodes, and selecting suitable models for implementation;
• Performing CFD simulations of hydrogen bubble dynamics in alkaline electrolysis under laboratory conditions, incorporating the selected model from the literature review;
• Investigating the effects of pore size, pore shape, porosity, pore connectivity, and surface properties on bubble behavior and cathodic performance;
• Evaluating and modeling potential coating design strategies to reduce bubble accumulation and minimize its impact on mass transport and electrochemical efficiency;
• Developing CFD models for industrially relevant cell configurations, including fluid flow and gas-liquid transport simulations, to guide the design of scalable electrolyzers;
• Testing, validating, and analyzing data from technological demonstrators;
• Documenting findings through technical protocols, tutorials, work reports, and publications;
• Facilitating project progress, including active participation in meetings with partners.

PhD in Mechanical Engineering, with strong background in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and multiphysics/multiphase simulations, knowledge of bubble nucleation and growth dynamics in porous media, proficiency in numerical modeling tools (COMSOL, ANSYS Fluent).