3D printed porous electrodes for the electrochemical conversion of CO2

Place: Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier (ICGM) and Institut Européen des Membrannes (IEM), University of Montpellier, France. Duration: 3 years
Funding: PhD grant from MUSE I-SITE, 1.587€/month net salary. Start date: october 2022
Contact: send CV (including contact details of Master supervisors), cover letter, and transcript of reccords to tangi.aubert@umontpellier.fr and damien.voiry@umontpellier.fr.

This PhD project is dedicated to the synthesis of colloidal nanomaterials and their integration with stereolithography 3D printing for the fabrication of hierarchically porous electrodes
specifically designed for CO2 valorization through electrochemical reduction.
PhD Fellowship in Chemistry
and Materials Sciences

Context:

The pledge of net zero emission by 2050 set by the European Green Deal requires the development of economically viable technologies to reuse emitted CO2 and close the carbon cycle. Electrochemical reduction provides a promising and sustainable route to convert CO2 into chemicals and fuels. Thanks to these technologies, CO2 is no longer a waste but an alternative raw material to produce valuable chemicals. Novel strategies are being developed in our institute to optimize catalysts activity towards CO2 reduction for improve performances [1], including flow cells electrode assemblies based on gas diffusion electrodes [2].
In parallel, fast growing processing techniques such as 3D printing, are emerging for the fabrication of macroscopic highly engineered parts covering a wide range of industrial sectors. In this regard, we developed an innovative approach for the integration of porous silica nanoparticles [3] with stereolithography (DLP) techniques for the direct 3D printing of mesoporous materials [4]. The junction of nanomaterials science and advanced 3D printing technologies is now generating a new paradigm for the design and deployment of nano-enabled devices. In this project, we develop new approaches for the integration of nanoparticle electrocatalysts with 3D printing for the fabrication of hierarchically porous 3D electrodes.

Objectives:

To date, there are limited opportunities to spatially control the porosity, chemical environment and local CO2 concentration in gas diffusion electrodes. The long-term ambition of this project is to provide innovative solutions toward the technological fruition of electrocatalytic devices for CO2 reduction. To this end, we propose a novel gas diffusion electrode design built from nanomaterials processed by 3D printing. The objectives and challenges for this thesis project are: (i) the fabrication of hierarchical porous and conductive structures, (ii) the integration of nanoparticle electrocatalysts, and (iii) the lab-scale validation of the 3D electrode design through CO2 reduction reactions.

Profile:

The candidate must hold a Master degree in Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Materials Science or associated fields, preferentially on a topic related to hybrid materials and/or colloidal science. Good lab skills and scientific rigor are greatly appreciated in general. Fluency in French is not required.
What to expect: This research project will be conducted between the department for Porous and Hybrid Materials at ICGM and the department Design of Membrane Materials and Multifunctional Systems at IEM, both part of the Pôle Chimie Balard in Montpellier, offering state-of-the-art facilities for chemical research and materials science. You will acquire a strong expertise on advanced nanomaterials, surface chemistry, electron microscopy, stereolithography, heterogeneous catalysis, etc. You will also have the opportunity to present your work at national and international events.

References:

[1] K. Qi, D. Voiry et al. ACS Nano 2021, 15 (4), 7682-7693. [2] Q. Zhang, D. Voiry et al. ACS Catal. 2021, 11 (20), 12701. [3] K. Ma, T. Aubert, U. Wiesner et al. Nature 2018, 558 (7711), 577-580. [4] T. Aubert, T. Hanrath, U. Wiesner et al. Nat. Commun. 2020, 11 (1), 4695.
3D printed porous electrodes for the electrochemical conversion of CO2