PhD Thesis (M/F): Sodium-insertion materials for mediated aqueous flow batteries

CNRS - National Center for Scientific Research; France; Sur place; EUR 17 000 - 23 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The Laboratory of Reactivity and Solid State Chemistry (LRCS) in Amiens, France, invites a PhD candidate to join the FLOWBOOST project. The researcher will prepare and characterize sodium insertion materials for a novel redox-flow battery technology and work under co-supervision by Emmanuel Baudrin and Dominique Larcher.

The successful candidate will apply inorganic/materials chemistry expertise, employ conventional physicochemical methods, and contribute to a European project aligned with

Qualifications

• Expertise in inorganic chemistry and/or materials chemistry.
• Characterization using conventional physicochemical methods.
• Basic knowledge or skills in electrochemistry would be appreciated.

Responsabilités

• Prepare and characterize sodium insertion materials.
• Contribute to the development of redox-flow battery technology.
• Collaborate with LRCS supervisors and European project partners.

Connaissances

Inorganic chemistry

Materials chemistry

Electrochemistry

Formation

PhD candidate

Outils

Physicochemical characterization

Electrochemical analysis

Description du poste

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de réactivité et de chimie des solides Research Field Mathematics History » History of science Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 8 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Feb 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The thesis contract is funded as part of the European FLOWBOOST project. The work will be conducted at the LRCS in Amiens and co-supervised by Emmanuel Baudrin (LRCS) and Dominique Larcher (LRCS). The successful Ph.D. candidate must have expertise in inorganic chemistry and/or materials chemistry, as well as in the characterization of these systems using conventional physicochemical methods. Basic knowledge or skills in electrochemistry would be appreciated. The position falls under the Scientific and Technical Potential Protection (PPST) framework and therefore, in accordance with regulations, requires that your appointment be authorized by the competent authority at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation (MESR).

As part of the shift in the energy mix toward a reduction in the share of fossil fuels, the development of new stationary energy storage systems is essential. Indeed, the intermittent and variable nature of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power makes storage necessary. Redox-flow batteries, which allow for the decoupling of energy and power, are therefore ideally suited to meet these requirements. This technology offers undeniable advantages over Li-ion systems currently under development for such applications, particularly in terms of safety and recyclability.
However, the most mature and widely deployed redox-flow batteries today (vanadium batteries, which have been studied since the 1980s) remain expensive and limited in terms of stability and capacity.
The project aims to develop a complete redox-flow battery technology based on the circulation of aqueous solutions of redox mediators, in the presence of sodium insertion materials immobilized in the tanks.
The use of these insertion materials will increase the energy density of these batteries and, consequently, potentially reduce their size. These materials will be free of any toxic or expensive metals. As part of a European project, the LRCS will be responsible for mastering the preparation of high-performance insertion materials for this new type of energy storage system.
In this context, we are seeking a motivated Ph.D. student who will be responsible for the preparation and characterization of sodium insertion materials. The successful candidate should have expertise in materials science and, if possible, in electrochemistry, along with a knack for collaborative work.