Research Associate in Development of NMR Methods for Studying Capacitive Deionisation – 1396-23

View All Vacancies Chemistry
Salary:  

£31,396

Closing Date:  

Wednesday 13 December 2023

Interview Date:  

Monday 18 December 2023

Reference:  

1396-23

Please note: this job is only available to current employees of Lancaster University

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral research associate to work in the group of Dr John Griffin in the Department of Chemistry at Lancaster University. The appointee will develop and apply methods in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for studying the fundamental mechanisms of capacitive deionisation (CDI).

 CDI is an electrochemical method for removing salt species from water, whereby the salt ions are immobilised on the surfaces of porous carbon electrodes within an electrochemical cell. CDI has potential applications for the production of freshwater from brackish water, and for capture of water-borne ionic pollutants from industrial waste or agricultural run-off. In comparison to traditional desalination methods such as reverse osmosis, CDI has several advantages and it is potentially more energy efficient for low salt concentrations. However, despite considerable current research interest in the development of CDI, many questions remain about the fundamental mechanisms of ion capture and how these are influenced by the properties of the electrode, the electrolyte and the cell design.

 This position is part of a joint project with Prof. Rob Dryfe (University of Manchester) aimed at gaining a fundamental electrochemical insight into the mechanism of CDI. The initial aim of the research will be to develop an in situ CDI cell for NMR spectroscopy, so that ions can be tracked and quantified as they become adsorbed under an applied potential. Once the in situ setup has been optimised, the project will focus on understanding the effect of electrode and electrolyte properties (e.g., relative pore/ion sizes, concentration effects) on the ion capture mechanism and efficiency.

 This position is available in the Department of Chemistry at Lancaster University from 1st December 2023 for up to 16 months. The successful candidate will have a PhD degree (or soon to be awarded a PhD) in Chemistry or relevant subject, and expertise in practical aspects of NMR spectroscopy and the use and design of electrochemical cells. They will be expected to work in a highly multidisciplinary collaborative team, and have effective written and verbal communication skills in English.

 Lancaster University is consistently highly ranked (~top 10) in the UK university league tables and is in the top 1% of universities globally. It is located on a beautiful campus in the North West of England close to the stunning Lake District National Park. 

 The Chemistry Department is committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis, as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address equality issues in higher education and research, and we welcome applications from people in all diversity groups.

 Informal e-mail enquiries prior to making an application are welcome and should be addressed to Dr John Griffin ([email protected]).

Further details:
Please note: Unless specified otherwise in the advert wording, all advertised roles are UK based.


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