PhD Scholarship: Advanced Materials for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Job No.: 676263
Location: Clayton campus
Employment Type: Full-time
Duration: 3-year fixed-term appointment with possibility of 6-month extension
Remuneration: $35,013 per annum
For scholarship procedures and conditions, please see: www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/scholarships/scholarship-policy-and-procedures.
The Opportunity
Increasing energy demand coupled with the need to eliminate CO2 emissions have necessitated the exploration and implementation of alternative energy technologies such as wind and solar. This has become more critical in recent years as global warming reaches alarming levels due to further increases in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel consumption. However, the speedy development of renewables is currently creating challenges in the regulation of energy supply due to intermittency; this is creating demand for effective and stable energy storage systems. Integrating large-scale energy storage systems into the grid would improve the reliability, power quality, and economy of these renewable energy sources.
Vanadium batteries present a highly-scalable, sustainable solution for storage of renewable electricity, but the technology needs to be improved for robust and efficient operation in the warm climate. We are looking for PhD students to contribute to the development of innovative electrolyte and electrode materials aimed at creating a highly stable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective vanadium redox flow battery. The core outcome of the project is a sustainable large-scale energy storage technology ready for immediate application. This will support the transition of the energy sector to renewables and provide businesses with distributed energy storage solutions.
Research topics:
(1) Development of advanced additive formulae for thermally stable vanadium electrolytes
(2) Materials and methods, in particular in situ techniques, for probing parasitic side reactions in vanadium redox flow batteries
The qualified candidate will have the opportunity to join one of the world leading and Australian largest universities; conduct the research in the laboratories of the Simonov/McFarlane groups which are equipped with outstanding facilities for the fabrication and testing of electrochemical materials and devices; access to the world-class facilities at the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash X-ray platform and Australian Synchrotron; collaborating with one of the pioneer companies in building an integrated mining and energy supply chain, Vecco Group.
Candidate Requirements
The student must:
- Be able demonstrate and present valid and current Australian work rights
- Meet participating university PhD admission requirements
- Meet university English language requirements
- Not have previously completed a PhD
- Be able to commence the Program in the year of the offer
- Enrol as a full-time PhD student
Enquiries: Dr Tam Nguyen, tam.nguyen2@monash.edu
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
To express your interest in this scholarship and PhD research opportunity, we request candidates provide:
- A CV including qualifications, academic achievements, list of publications, work history and references
- A copy of your academic transcript(s)
Send to: Dr Tam Nguyen, tam.nguyen2@monash.edu
Applications Close: Monday 3 March 2025, 11:55pm AEDT
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