Uppsala University is one of Sweden’s most prestigious universities. The Department of Chemistry, ngstrm is located at the ngstrm Laboratory and is a joint department between biomimetics, inorganic-, physical-, polymer-, and structural chemistry. It is one of the leading chemistry departments in the country.
Research focuses on inorganic synthesis, material characterization using a range of methods, electrochemical studies and Li-ion battery research. The Department of Chemistry, ngstrm consists of approximately 170 employees of whom about half are graduate students.
Project outline: Li-ion batteries are today used in mobile phones, laptops and other portable applications. The Li-ion battery is a family of different chemistries and it is therefore possible to tune the chemistry for the application where it is to be used. The trend to today is either to go for low-cost materials for up-scaling the battery for automotives or large scale storage or to miniaturize the battery by the use of nanotechnology.
This PhD project deals with the miniaturization of a Li-ion battery (1mm3-1cm3) to be used for powering sensors, medical devices or MEMS. The research is focused on three-dimensional structuring of battery current collectors and the deposit of anode and cathode materials. The goal is to put together a true 3D microbattery which also will include a solid electrolyte that will be developed by other members of the battery group. Electrochemical characterization combined with different material science techniques such as XRD, XPS, SEM and FTIR will be used.
PhD. Student position in 3D Li-ion microbattery studies
