PhD Position (m/f/d) | Operando characterization of electrochemical carbon capture processes

The Carbon Capture group led by Valentin Briega Martos in the Department of Interface Science (Beatriz Roldan Cuenya) at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Berlin-Dahlem offers a PhD position, typically for three years. Conventional carbon capture binds CO2 in absorbent solutions and releases it through temperature swings that limit efficiency; an alternative is to reduce the captured CO2 directly to high-value chemicals with renewable electricity.

The project studies the mechanisms by which adducts between CO2 and capture molecules are electrochemically reduced and how electrocatalysts reconstruct under reaction conditions. It uses in situ and operando methods coupled to benchtop electrochemical cells and electrolysers, including spectroscopy and mass spectrometry to identify and quantify intermediates and products, together with surface characterisation and on-line dissolution techniques that track catalyst surfaces and morphologies during reaction, to guide the design of new electrocatalysts and electrochemical processes.

Master's degree in physics, chemistry, materials science or a related field; experience with electrocatalytic experiments and independent electrochemical investigations; good English. Programming, data analysis and experience with infrared or Raman spectroscopy, mass spectrometry or synchrotron X-ray techniques are advantageous. Cover letter, CV, publication list and three references.