(M/F) PhD Position: "Exploring New Niobium-Based Compositions for Fast-Charging Li-Ion Batteries "

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Fast charging combined with high battery safety is now a major challenge for many sectors, such as the railway and aerospace industries. Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO), currently the negative electrode material of choice for such applications, nevertheless involves a significant trade-off in terms of energy density, making it unsuitable for applications requiring high energy density.
The ANR MATEO project (Original Electrode Materials for Fast Charging and Safety), in which this PhD thesis is embedded, aims to discover new negative electrode materials combining:
- Full charging in less than 10 minutes
- Excellent cycle life of several thousand cycles
- High safety
- At least 30% higher energy density of the resulting batteries compared with LTO

This PhD project fully supports this objective. It will involve the AI-assisted identification of promising materials from the scientific literature, followed by their synthesis and initial characterization (structure, electrochemical properties, and safety). The selected materials will then be scaled up to enable the fabrication of 1 Ah prototypes, which will subsequently undergo safety testing.

Candidate profile:
Applicants should hold a Master's degree or an engineering degree in solid-state or inorganic chemistry, with demonstrated skills in the synthesis of inorganic materials. Previous experience in battery research would be an advantage.

Key skills:
- Scientific English, both written and spoken
- Autonomy, rigor, and curiosity
- Analytical, synthesis, and innovative thinking skills
- Adaptability, creativity, and ability to communicate in English

Research context:
This is a collaborative PhD project between CRISMAT and Saft, at the interface between academic research and innovation. The candidate should be highly motivated, rigorous, and willing to engage in experimental and collaborative work.

Application:
The application should include:
-A CV
- A cover letter specifying the candidate's career plans
- A letter of recommendation

Your Work Environment

The CRISMAT laboratory (Crystallography and Materials Science; https://crismat.cnrs.fr/; https://www.energie-rs2e.com) brings together chemists and physicists working in Materials Science from the CNRS, ENSICAEN, and the University of Caen Normandy.
A major part of its research focuses on investigating structure–property relationships. CRISMAT aims to be a research center responsive to major societal challenges, particularly those related to the energy transition, and a leading player in the development of sustainable and smart materials and their advanced characterization. Its expertise in materials for energy storage represents a major asset for this project.

Saft is a specialist in high-technology batteries for industry, covering the entire value chain from design and development to manufacturing, customization, and service provision. For nearly 100 years, Saft has been supplying its customers with batteries offering increasingly longer lifetimes for backup power and propulsion in critical applications. Our innovative, safe, and reliable technology delivers high performance in space, at sea, in the air, and on land. Saft provides power solutions for industry and smart cities, while ensuring backup capabilities in extreme environments, from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Saft is a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies, a global multi-energy company engaged in the production and supply of energy, including oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables, and electricity (www.saftbatteries.com).

Constraints and risks

Applications will be reviewed by the project's scientific coordinator and the Human Resources Department.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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