PhD Student in Characterization of Electrochemical Interfaces

Project Description

Research education subject: Chemistry

This doctoral project investigates the behavior of electrolytes in nanoporous electrodes, with a particular focus on how pore size, morphology, and surface chemistry govern ion confinement and charge storage. A central goal is to distinguish and quantify the contributions from ions inside the pores versus outside the pores, to provide molecular insight into ion–electrode interactions. The project focuses on ionic liquid electrolytes as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. You will study ion transport during charging and discharging in batteries and supercapacitors using advanced NMR methods, complemented by targeted computational modeling. This integrated approach enables the identification of the dominant ion transport mechanisms in carbon-based electrodes and supports the development of robust structure–property relationships for high-performance electrochemical components.

Supervision: Sergey Dvinskikh is proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decision is made upon admission.

Eligibility for admission

To be admitted to doctoral studies (chap. 7 39 § of the Higher Education Ordinance) the applicant must have the following basic eligibility:

Mobility rules – Candidates must not have been resident or had their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Sweden for more than 12 months during the 3 years immediately preceding the recruitment date. completed a degree at an advanced level, or completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits are at an advanced level, or in any other way, within or outside the country, acquired knowledge mainly corresponding to this.

A suitable background is a master's degree in chemistry, physical chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, electrochemistry, or related disciplines.

Applicants must not hold a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

To succeed in your doctoral studies at KTH, you need to be goal-oriented and persistent in your work. During the selection of applicants, the ability to:

independently drive your work forward, collaborate with others, maintain a professional approach, and analyze and work with complex issues, will be assessed.

Experience with NMR spectroscopic methods is considered a merit.

Following the eligibility requirements, great importance will be placed on personal qualities.

Target degree: PhD

Information about admission and employment

Only those admitted to doctoral studies may be employed as a doctoral student. The total period of employment may not exceed what corresponds to full-time doctoral studies for four years. An employed doctoral student may, to a limited extent (at most 20%), perform certain tasks within, e.g., teaching and administration. A new employment as a doctoral student is valid for at most one year; the employment may thereafter be renewed for at most two years at a time.

As a doctoral student, you will benefit from KTH's employment benefits and will have a monthly salary according to KTH's agreements for doctoral salaries. Read more about Doctoral Studies at KTH | KTH | Sweden

Allowances – In addition to the basic salary mentioned in the link above, a mobility allowance and potentially a family allowance are included in all positions within the Marie Curie program. For more information, read here. Basic salary and additional allowances are stated before tax.

Trade union representatives

Contact details for trade union representatives.

The Doctoral Section (KTH Student Union)

Contact details for the Doctoral Section.

Application

You apply via KTH's recruitment system. As an applicant, you are primarily responsible for ensuring that your application is complete when submitted.

The application must contain the following:

Copies of degree certificates and transcripts from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish are required if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified. CV with relevant professional experience and knowledge. Cover letter with a concise account of why you wish to pursue doctoral studies, your academic interests, and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals (Max 2 pages). Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please attach a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

The application must reach KTH no later than the last application date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Other

For information on the processing of personal data in connection with recruitment.

An employment at KTH may be subject to security clearance. If this is the case for this specific position, a security screening of the applicant will be conducted in accordance with the Security Protection Act (2018:585) after consent. In these cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved after the security screening.

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