Photosynthesis of nanomaterials: developing nanostructured photocatalysts for solar fuel generation using light.
A key scientific challenge is to develop practical methods for the conversion of sun light into usable fuels. Such process, known as ‘artificial photosynthesis’ or ‘solar-fuel generation’, has recently received increasing interest by the scientific community, thanks to the development of nanotechnology. Nanostructured materials offer a variety of advantages over their bulk counterparts, such as large surface area-to-volume ratios, short charge carrier diffusion lengths, and band-gap tunability. Furthermore, the interaction of light with nanomaterials can give rise to unique phenomena that can boost the efficiency of solar-fuel generation processes: metal and dielectric nanoparticles can scatter light, increasing the optical path length in a semiconductor and therefore improving its conversion efficiency; plasmon resonances in metal nanoparticles can sensitize the optical response of a semiconducting electrode by near-field effects and hot-electron generation; light trapping in photonic modes can lead to hundred percent absorption in deeply subwavelength structures.
Light-matter interaction at the nanoscale can also give rise to large gradients in temperature, via plasmonic heating, and in electric field, via the excitation of plasmon resonances at subwavelength ‘hot spots’. Thanks to their steep and deeply localized gradients, these effects could be used to drive temperature- and field-sensitive chemical reactions with an unprecedented level of spatial control. In this project we aim at studying such possibility and at exploiting these light-matter interactions at the nanoscale to drive the solution synthesis of new, advanced materials for solar-fuel generation, such as metal/semiconductor core/shell nanoparticles and nanowires, optimized oxygen evolving catalysts and bimetallic catalysts. The PhD candidate will develop new light-driven chemical reactions for the solution synthesis of nanomaterials, both at the ensemble and at the single particle level. Optical and electron microscopy will be used to study the optical and structural properties of the prepared nanostructures. Analytical and numerical simulations of light-matter interaction in nanomaterials will guide and provide feedback on the synthetic work.
Funding for this project is provided by FOM, as part of the collaboration between the group of Dr. Andrea Baldi at DIFFER and Stanford University (USA) and the group of Dr. Erik Garnett at AMOLF.
Job description
FOM offers a stimulating work environment in an area of applied, forefront research. When fulfilling a PhD position at FOM, you will get the status of junior scientist. You will have an employment contract for the duration of four years and can participate in all the employee benefits FOM offers. The gross monthly salary starts with € 2,057, in the first year and increases to € 2,718 in the fourth year of your employment. The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of eight percent and an end-of year bonus of 8.33 percent.
Location
The position will be based at DIFFER – the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (www.differ.nl), at its new location in Eindhoven. Dr. Andrea Baldi will be located at Stanford University (USA) until the summer of 2015: depending on the start date, the candidate will also be seconded at Stanford for the first months of employment.
Requirements
Applicants should have, or be pursuing, a Master degree (or an equivalent diploma giving access to doctoral studies) in Physics, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, or Materials Science and Engineering. Prior experimental experience in the areas of optics, synthesis of nanoparticles or electron microscopy would be advantageous.
Conditions of employment
When fulfilling a PhD position at the FOM Foundation, you will get the status of junior scientist.
You will have an employee status and can participate in all the employee benefits FOM offers. You will get a contract for four years. Your salary will be up to a maximum of 2,636 euro gross per month. The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of eight percent and an end-of-year bonus of 8.33 percent.
You are supposed to have a thesis finished at the end of your four year term with FOM.
A training programme is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for the additional education and supervising that you specifically need. This plan also defines which teaching activities you will be responsible (up to a maximum of ten percent of your time). The conditions of employment of the FOM Foundation are laid down in the Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres (Cao-Onderzoekinstellingen), more exclusive information is available at this website under Personeelsinformatie (in Dutch) or under Personnel (in English).
General information about working at FOM can be found in the English part of this website under Personnel. The ‘FOM job interview code’ applies to this position.
Contact
Employment conditions are laid down in the ‘Cao-onderzoek instellingen’ and can be consulted at the FOM website (www.fom.nl) under ‘Personnel’ or ‘Personeelsinfo’). General information on working at FOM can also be found at the FOM website. For further information please contact Dr. A. Baldi.
Application
You can only respond to this vacancy online via the button below.
To apply, submit an letter of application with full resume, a grade list, and possibly copies of papers to FOM Institute DIFFER by e-mail. Please quote ‘Vac. 14-010′ in your application letter.
Online screening may be part of the selection.
Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.
Please use the online form for applications.
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