PhD Designing Next-Generation Electrocatalysts for Green Hydrogen Production at Manchester

Hydrogen produced by water electrolysis is expected to play a major role in the transition to a low-carbon energy system. However, so-called "green hydrogen" remains significantly more expensive than hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. One of the most effective ways to reduce these costs is through the development of better electrocatalysts that drive the water-splitting reaction more efficiently and with greater long-term stability.

This PhD project will tackle a fundamental challenge in catalyst science: understanding exactly which atomic-scale features of a catalyst control its performance. Despite intense international research efforts, many of the active sites and degradation pathways in state-of-the-art water electrolysis catalysts remain poorly understood, limiting progress towards rational catalyst design.
The project focuses on transition metal oxyhydroxides, a promising family of earth-abundant electrocatalysts based on iron, cobalt, manganese and nickel. These materials are highly active but structurally complex, making it difficult to determine how composition and nanoscale structure influence catalytic behaviour. 

To overcome this challenge, our research group has developed a unique model catalyst platform based on well-defined oxyhydroxide nanoflakes grown using reactive physical vapour deposition. These model systems retain the atomic-scale structure of practical catalysts while providing unprecedented control over composition and morphology, enabling fundamental structure-property relationships to be established.

During the PhD, you will:
• Synthesize and characterise advanced transition metal oxyhydroxide catalysts.
• Correlate atomic-scale structure with catalytic activity using advanced spectroscopy, microscopy and electrochemistry.
• Apply your findings to guide the rational design of improved catalysts for practical electrolyser systems.
The project provides extensive training in state-of-the-art materials characterisation and electrochemistry, including X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), thin-film growth by physical vapour deposition, and electrochemical testing methodologies.

Application deadline: All year round

For more information and to apply visit https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/school-of-natural-sciences-phd-scholarships-designing-next-generation-electrocatalysts-for-green-hydrogen-production/?p198961