Due to climate change, process water is becoming increasingly scarce, while (waste) salt solutions containing water and valuable salts are often discharged. Although technical solutions for the recovery of water and salts are available, these technologies are not cost-effective and sustainable. To secure industrial water availability and at the same time make optimal use of salt and water from waste streams, more energy-efficient and cost-effective technologies need to be developed.

Electrodialysis membranes offer an economically attractive solution for the treatment of these wastewater streams. Electrodialysis relies on the application of an electric field across a stack of ion-exchange membranes to drive ions toward the oppositely charged electrode. As the feedwater is passed through the flow channels, cations and anions selectively pass through alternating cation- and anion-exchange membranes, respectively, thereby forming ion-concentrated and depleted solution streams on each side of the membrane. To ensure high separation performance, anion and cation exchange membranes combining both rigid and defined pores as well as surface functional groups are required.

In one of the Phd projects, part of the granted TKI E&I Odysseus program we aim to engineer hybrid ceramic membranes for the concentration of saline streams by electrodialysis. To develop such systems, you will combine the advantages of well-designed porous ceramic nanostructures with organic surface functional groups. The PhD student in this project will be working within the Inorganic Membranes group part of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. The Odysseus project will allow many relevant collaborations within the faculty of science and technology of the University of Twente, as well as with several end-users who are partners in the project.

• You have, or will shortly, acquire a master's degree in the field of chemical engineering, material chemistry, or a closely related subject area
• You have a creative mindset and excellent experimental, analytical and communication skills.
• You are an excellent team player in an enthusiastic group of scientists and engineers working on a common theme.
• You are fluent in English and able to collaborate intensively with external parties in regular meetings and work visits.

• You will be appointed on a fulltime position for 4 years.
• The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues in a stimulating scientific environment.
• The gross monthly PhD salary is € 2,770.- in the first year and increases to € 3,539.- in the fourth year.
• The offer further includes excellent benefits such as 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.
• Free access to sports facilities on campus.
• You will have a training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will determine a plan for a suitable education and supervision.

Research in the Inorganic Membrane (IM) group encompasses macro- as well as micro-scale phenomena, in the field of ceramic/inorganic membrane technology, transport phenomena, and membrane process design. Within IM, you will join the Nanostructured Porous Membranes team composed of highly motivated researchers all working on the engineering of porous membranes with nanoscale features for challenging and demanding separations. Our goal is to develop the next generation of nanostructured porous hybrid membranes which will push further the combination of nanomaterials and polymer surface-modification science.