This postdoc project is part of a cross-border initiative between the Netherlands and Germany in the field of ElectroChemical Conversion and Materials (ECCM) and involves researchers from the University of Twente (UT), the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), RWTH Aachen, and FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, and industrial partners VSparticle and Fumatech.

The project, on "Gas phase ELEctrocatalysis for methane VAlorizaTION" (ELEVATION), will explore the conversion of methane towards C2+-products or methanol using gas-phase electrocatalysis. The main goal is to uncover the role of water vapor as precursor to anodically generate active oxygen species for tuning the efficiency and selectivity of methane conversion. This will be studied via gas-phase polymeric electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis, using humid methane as feedstock.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will fabricate membrane-electrode assemblies based on polymeric electrolyte membranes and earth abundant transition metal oxides. You will utilize them in a gas-phase electrolyzer. You will investigate the effect of the proton exchange membrane ionomer, with focus on operational parameters such as relative humidity and temperature. You will perform kinetic studies using time-resolved FT-IR spectro-electrochemistry

Responsibilities:

• Fabricate porous metal oxides & membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs)
• Characterize MEAs (XRD, XPS, SEM)
• Investigate the reaction kinetics by in-situ FT-IR
• Work closely with the consortium via short research stays to utilize SECM at RWTH Aachen and TPD techniques at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Study the performance of MEAs via product analysis (GC, MS)
• Update the consortium on the scientific results and project progress on a regular basis and represent the team at conferences

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in chemistry, material science, physics, engineering or equivalent field
• Experience in electrocatalysis
• Experience in infra-red spectroscopy

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise with one or more relevant domains of: materials synthesis, heterogeneous catalysis, structural characterization techniques, time-resolved spectroscopy, mechanistic/kinetic studie
• Experience with taking projects from "0 to 1"
• Strong English communication skills
• Passion for sustainable energy technologies

• You will be appointed on a fulltime position for 12 months with possible extension.
• The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues in a stimulating scientific environment.
• The post-doc salary is between € 3.420,- and € 4.490,- gross per month depending on experience and qualifications.
• The offer further involves: a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%, a solid pension scheme, a minimum of 29-day holidays, and numerous professional and personal development programs.

You will perform research within the Photocatalytic Synthesis group (PCS), which is part of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. The PCS group has a dynamic, multidisciplinary and international character, and outstanding infrastructure. The focus of the research program is on the conversion of solar or electrical energy into chemical energy to drive thermodynamically uphill reactions such as water splitting or reduction of carbon dioxide.