Mechanical behavior of glasses for use as electrolytes in all-solid-state batteries / ENERGUMENE

Job title:

Mechanical behavior of glasses for use as electrolytes in all-solid-state batteries / ENERGUMENE

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Job description

Offer DescriptionCall for expression of interest descriptionThe is a highly prestigious renowned EU-funded scheme. It offers talented scientists a unique chance to set up 2-year research and training projects with the support of a supervising team. Besides providing an attractive grant, it represents a major opportunity to boost the career of promising researchers.Research laboratories in Brittany arethus looking for excellent postdoctoral researchers with an international profile to write a persuasive proposal to apply for a Marie S. Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship grant in 2024 (deadline of the EU call set on 11 September 2024). The topic and research team presented below have been identified in this regard.Main Research Field

• Information Science and Engineering (ENG)

Research sub-field(s)Materials engineeringEnergy processesKeywordsGlass ; Glass-ceramics ; Diffusion ; Mechanical and electrical propertiesResearch project description

• Context

The ENERGUMENE project is centered on the study of the mechanical and electrical properties of ion-conducting glasses. This subject is of great interest on the one hand, in the context of the development of all-solid-state batteries (ASS), and on the other hand for ion exchange treatments aimed at increasing the resistance of glass. ASS batteries consist of solid electrolyte and electrodes, and exhibit several advantages over batteries with liquid electrolytes. They are more efficient in terms of storage capacity, charge/discharge speed, reliability and safety, and are seen as the future of electrochemical energy storage. However, such batteries are not yet marketed, in particular because of important mechanical problems that remain to be solved.

• Problematic and challenges

In spite of their numerous advantages, ASSbatterie materials suffer from critical problems, in particular the appearance of microcracks resulting from the significant volume changes caused by cycling at the level of the active materials, and the growth of metallic dendrites along the grain boundaries (sometimes through crystals) leading to a risk of short circuit. These phenomena raise serious mechanical problems, which limit the number of cycles the battery can sustain, and which are mostly unsolved.In this regard, glassy electrolytes have several advantages: 1) their viscoplastic forming capacity results in good bonding at solid-solid interfaces (with electrodes); 2) the absence of grain boundaries limits the risk of short circuits due to the growth of metallic dendrites; 3) the flexibility in the composition makes it possible to optimize the electrochemical stability and the efficiency of the electrolyte. But their ionic conductivities remain insufficient to this day, below 10-4 S.cm-1, and lower than the best solutions found for crystalline electrolytes. Still, glassy electrolytes are of great interest for large capacity immobile energy storage solutions.The project is aimed at proposing solutions to improve crack resistance, chemical durability, fatigue resistance (cycling) and safety, while optimizing autonomy and eco-compatibility, with a special focus on glassy electrolytes.

• Objectives

1) Identification of glass compositions with high application potential as solid electrolytes, and elaboration of homogeneous glass batches, large enough to further proceed through mechanical and electrical investigations. Particular attention will be paid to glasses which do not pose proven environmental problems. 2) Investigations of the mechanical, and electrical properties of selected glassy electrolytes, by direct measurements, mostly in a glove box. Mechanical properties of interest include the moduli of elasticity, hardness and resistance to cracking. Electrical properties include AC and DC conductivities, critical current density and cycle stability. The influence of a super-imposed stress field on the measurements is of particular interest, and the existence of mechano-electrical couplings will be sought. 3) Understanding the physics behind the stress « diffusions intercorrelations. Development of theoretical approaches and multiscale models suitable to glassy electrolyte materials placed under electrical and/or mechanical fields.The Postdoctoral fellow will work on the characterization and modelling of the mechanical and electrical properties of glassy electrolytes, especially with Na+ ions, and study cross mechanical and electrical effects, under the assistance of solid-state chemists specialized in ionic conductive glasses and physicists and mechanicians specialized in glass science.[1] G. Bucci, S.P.V. Nadimpalli, V.A. Sethuraman, A.F. Bower et al., “Measurement and modeling of the mechanical and electrochemical response of amorphous Si thin film electrodes during cyclic lithiation”, J. Mech. Phys. Sol., 62 276 (2014). doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2013.10.005[2] J.A. Lewis, J. Tippens, F.J.Q. Cortes and M.T. McDowell, “Chemo-mechanical challenges in solid-state batteries”, Trends in Chemistry 1 [9] 845 (2019). doi.org/10.1016/j.trechm.2019.06.013[3] Y. Daiko, A. Sakuda, T. Homma, and A. Hayashi, “Ionic conduction of glasses and their potential applications”, J. Ceramic Soc. Japan, 130 [8] 552 (2022). doi.org/10.2109/jcersj2.22035Supervisor(s)Tanguy Rouxel is a full Professor of Glass Science and Solid Mechanics at the University of Rennes. After obtaining an engineer diploma from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers, a B. Sc from the University of Paris XIII, and a Ph.D from the University of Limoges, he was appointed Professor at the University of Rennes, where he founded a laboratory devoted to the study of the mechanical behavior of glass. TR is the author of approximately 190 papers in scientific journals, 4 patents, and 5 book chapters and one monography. He is the recipient of the CNRS bronze medal, the Yvan Peyches prize from the French Academy of Sciences (2007), the 2010 Otto Schott award, a European Research Council Advanced Grant (2013), the Alfred R. Cooper lecture of the America Ceramic Soc. in 2018. TR was appointed senior member of the Institut Universitaire de France in 2018. TR is a fellow of the American Ceramic Society (2019). * T. Rouxel, “Some strange things about the mechanical properties of glass”, Compte-Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences, Physique, 24 (S1) 1-14 (2023).

• T. Rouxel and S. Yoshida, “The fracture toughness of inorganic glasses”, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., DOI: 10.1111/jace.15108 1 1-23 (2017).
• Y. Daiko, E. Takahashi, Y. Gueguen, H. Muto, A. Matsuda, T. Yazawa, T. Rouxel, and Y. Iwamoto, “Indentation-induced stress distribution and pressure effect on the resistivity of YSZ”, Solid State Ionics, 286 96-101 (2016).

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be supervised by Tanguy ROUXELDepartment/ResearchThe Institute of Physics of Rennes (IPR UMR 6251) is a mixed research unit that depends on both the University of Rennes and the CNRS. As part of the CNRS, the IPR is attached primarily to CNRS Physics but also to CNRS Chemistry and to CNRS Engineering. The IPR is a driving force in a number of interdisciplinary research partnerships at interfaces with chemistry, engineering, biology and environmental sciences. This unit has 5 departments. The “Mechanics and Glasses” department develops projects around the characterization and understanding of the mechanical behavior of materials (glasses and elastomers) sometimes under severe loading or environmental conditions. The goal is to understand and establish the link between atomic structure and mechanical behavior in terms of: viscosity, elasticity, plasticity, cracking, surface damage or even material removal.A glass synthesis laboratory and a mechanical engineering workshop will be available for the processing of the materials and for the design of specific mechanical testing devices of interest to the project.The department was granted and ERC adv. Grant program from 2013 to 2018. Other supports include: Boost’ERC (2023-24), Europe / Bretagne Region, a program aimed at supporting ERC grant applicants. Directly related to the present project (20 000 €), and the Institut Universitaire de France support, from 2018 to 2023, on the Mechano- optical and mechano- electrical couplings in glasses and glass-ceramics (75 000 €).RequirementsResearch Field Engineering Education Level PhD or equivalentSkills/Qualifications

• Specific Skill Requirements: Materials Science and/or Mechanical Engineering and/or Glass Science and/or Materials Physics
• Required Language: English
• Knowledge in electro-chemistry or Materials for Energy applications is a plus.
• Publications: at least 1 per year since the PhD in 1st author

Languages ENGLISH Level ExcellentAdditional InformationEligibility criteriaAcademic qualification: By 11 September 2024, applicants must bein possession of a doctoral degree, defined as a successfully defended doctoral thesis, even if the doctoral degree has yet to be awarded.Research experience: Applicants must have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date applicants were in possession of a doctoral degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks (e.g. due to parental leave), will not be taken into account.Nationality & Mobility rules:Applicants can be of any nationality but must not have resided more than 12 months in France in the 36 months immediately prior to the MSCA-PF call deadline on 11 September 2024.Selection processWe encourage all motivated and eligible postdoctoral researchers to send their expressions of interest through the EU Survey application form ( ), before 5th of May 2024. Your application shall include:

• a CV specifying: (i) the exact dates for each position and its location (country) and (ii) a list of publications;

• a cover letter including a research outline (up to 2 pages) identifying the research synergies with the project supervisor(s) and proposed research topics described above.

Estimated timetableDeadline for sending an expression of interest5th May 2024Selection of the most promising application(s)May – June 2024Writing the MSCA-PF proposal with the support of the above-mentioned supervisor(s)June – September 2024MSCA-PF 2024 call deadline11th September 2024Publication of the MSCA-PF evaluation resultsFebruary 2025Start of the MSCA-PF project (if funded)May 2025 (at the earliest)Website for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Université de Rennes Country France State/Province Brittany City Rennes Postal Code 35042 Street 263 avenue Général Leclerc GeofieldWhere to apply WebsiteContact CityRennes WebsiteStreet263 avenue Général Leclerc Postal Code35042 E-Mailcontact@2pe-bretagne.euSTATUS: EXPIRED

Expected salary

Location

Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine

Job date

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 06:09:44 GMT

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