PhD Research Fellowship/ Contrato predoctoral en el Instituto de Tecnología Química de Valencia (UPV-CSIC)

Title of the project: “Catalytic processes: Catalysis for energy and process intensification by applying instrumental tools to monitor chemical processes”.

Description:

Available PhD position at the group Nanomaterials for Optoelectronics, Photonics and Energy at the Instituto de Tecnología Química, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, within the framework of the Severo Ochoa Excellence Program.

World is facing environmental problems and climate change due to continued emission of toxic and greenhouse gases coming from the combustion of fossil fuels. These facts plus the energetic crisis that is living the EU, are pushing European countries through a green energy transition focussing the investment efforts in developing alternative, renewable and non-toxic fuels and innovative chemical processes.

With this motivation, we propose the use of photo and photoelectrocatalytic processes that consist in the use of light, electricity and catalysts to produce high value chemicals (fuels, polymers precursors, syngas chemicals… etc) via redox reactions of abundant chemical sources as water, N2, O2, carbonates and biomass waste. In particular, photo and photoelectrochemical processes for the production of high value chemicals will be investigated, combining fundamental studies and applied science. In addition, the candidate will have the opportunity to use modern tools to determine the chemical mechanisms that govern these catalytic processes and determine the limiting steps.

The training objectives of the project are to acquire the PhD skills in experimental techniques and in the chemical and photophysical theory relevant to Sustainable Energy Production field. The project is multidisciplinary, and therefore it requires knowledge in the fields of chemistry, physics and materials science.

Requirements: Master’s degree in chemistry, Energy, Catalysis, Materials Science, Nanoscience, or related fields (or its foreseen completion date before September 2024).

We are looking for a person who can work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and who has a passion for science. It will be valued the motivation, English level and academic record.

Please, candidates interested in this fellowship should contact Dr. Pedro Atienzar and/or Dr. Herme G. Baldoví at: pedatcor@itq.upv.es , hergarba@cam.upv.es