Ciência sem Fronteiras (Science Without Borders)
PhD Project Template:
PI name & contact details:
Prof Noel Buckley
noel.buckley@UL.ie
Department
Physics and Energy http://www.energy.ul.ie/
Has project been agreed with head (or
nominee) of proposed registration school?
Yes
Research Centre / group affiliation:
Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI)
Research group / centre website:
http://www.ul.ie/mssi
PI website / link to CV:
http://www.energy.ul.ie/people/faculty/prof-d-n-noelbuckley
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
Professor Buckley is a Past-President of the Electrochemical Society http://www.electrochem.org and
has over 30 years experience of electrochemistry and materials and their application to technology.
His areas of research include electrochemical nanotechnology, electrochemical energy storage and thin
films and nanostructures for electronic and photonic applications.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
The evolution of atomic level stress during intercalation in electrode materials used in sodiumion batteries.
Rechargeable battery systems with transport ions other than lithium offer an alternative to lithium-ion
batteries that would substantially expand the existing energy storage market, which is primarily based
on lithium-ion technology. Sodium-based batteries are particularly attractive: Sodium is a cheap,
nontoxic, and abundant element that is uniformly distributed around the world and therefore would be
ideal as a transport ion for rechargeable batteries. To date, sodium-ion technologies have not been
able to improve on the energy density capabilities of lithium-ion. However, as battery technologies
extend to automobile use and to large-scale energy storage where storage density is not the critical
factor, the sodium cell would be a cheaper and better option for storing renewable solar or wind
energy. Suitable sodium ion electrode materials have not been extensively examined due to the focus
on lithium-ion technologies. Since energy storage is determined not by the transport ion but by the
electrode material, sodium ion technologies are a most attractive alternative to lithium-ion.
In a typical sodium-ion battery, during the charging cycle, sodium is intercalated into electrode
materials such as hard carbon and layered vanadium oxide. The density of intercalated sodium ions
determines the energy density of the battery. However, intercalation introduces stresses in the
electrode which, over many charging cycles, can result in electrode material failure. This project aims
to determine the stress evolution during intercalation of sodium. The effect of charge/discharge rate
and charge density on stress leading to material breakdown will be examined. In-situ stress and insitu AFM investigations will be used to study the evolution of stress and morphological changes
during repeated charge/discharge cycles. These techniques will be combined with atomic scale
modelling to determine the stress effects occurring at both the macroscopic and atomic levels.
Unique selling points of PhD project in UL:
The University of Limerick (UL) with over 11,500 students and 1,300 staff is an energetic and
enterprising institution with a proud record of innovation and excellence in education, research and
scholarship. It is widely recognized for the outstanding student experience it offers to all its students,
the excellence of its research and the impact it is making on our society and our economy. In 2011
UL, was independently evaluated by the international university rating agency QS Stars and was
awarded the maximum 5-star rating in 6 categories namely, teaching, engagement,
internationalization, innovation and knowledge transfer, infrastructure, and employability of UL
graduates. UL's Materials and Surface Science Institute is an internationally recognized center of
excellence.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering
Please indicate whether students can apply for:
Sandwich programme only
Full PhD programme only
Either of the above
x
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)
Health and Biomedical Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
x
Minerals
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technology of prevention and remediation of natural disasters
Biodiversity and Bioprospection
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering