This PhD position is part of the ARC-CBBC flagship program on “Conversion of CO2 to Chemical Building Blocks”. The program entails 6 PhD positions and 4 Dutch universities in total. To mitigate climate change, circularity of the CO2 stream in the chemical industry should be achieved. This can be done if we capture the produced CO2, and subsequently convert this CO2 into chemical building blocks (e.g. CO, methanol) from which a myriad of useful chemical can be synthesized. This flagship program focusses on the latter step: conversion of CO2 into chemical building blocks. In this PhD position specifically, you will focus on plasmon assisted CO2 conversion. Plasmonic particles, e.g. gold nanoparticles, are seen as very promising in assisting catalysis. After illumination of the particles, hot electrons are created which can e.g. transfer into the anti-bonding orbitals of adsorbed reactants, thereby activating the reaction at milder conditions. Moreover, via the photothermal effect, also absorbed light will be converted into heat. The hot plasmonic surfaces can hence also enhance the reaction rate. Yet, optimal combinations of plasmonic particle/deposited catalyst and reactant are needed to achieve hot electron transfer. Moreover, also the photothermal effect should be precisely tuned: a too hot surface will lead to desorption of the reactants, leading to decreased reaction rates.

In this project you will precisely measure these phenomena (hot electron transfer & photothermal heating) to enable the design, not only of the right catalyst, but also of the reactor with the right illumination conditions. Specifically, you will synthesize plasmonic particles, deposit different catalytic materials on them, and measure both the hot electron transfer, as well as the photothermal heating upon light excitation, and finally (for the best performing catalysts) even the reaction pathway (reaction intermediates). This can be achieved via pump-probe spectroscopy under CO2 atmosphere based on femtosecond-pulsed lasers. The pump will always provide the visible excitation light. As probes, you will use both visible and mid-infrared probes. This will provide you with visible-light and mid-infrared spectra from 100 fs to 10 ns after excitation, which will allow you to unravel the phenomena.

The project will be supervised by dr. ir. Monique A. van der Veen. The van der Veen group focuses on the development of hybrid materials for separation, catalysis and electronics. An important component of research is the use of advanced optical spectroscopy to gain new insight into the structure and functioning of materials. The group is part of the Catalysis Engineering section in the Chemical Engineering Department.

The candidate must hold a Master degree in Chemistry with proven affinity for Physics, or a Master degree in Physics with proven affinity for Chemistry, or a Master degree in Chemical Engineering from a program that entailed a substantial amount of chemistry and physical chemistry. Affinity can be proven e.g. via choice of electives or thesis subject. You are keen on a multidisciplinary project where you synthesize materials, you perform advanced laser spectroscopy, you retrieve meaningful information from your data after processing them e.g. in Python, as well as use and develop models for the heat transport in your experiments.

Fixed-term contract: 4 jaar.

TU Delft offers PhD-candidates a 4-year contract, with an official go/no go progress assessment after one year. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2434 per month in the first year to € 3111 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. An International Children’s Centre offers child care and an international primary school. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

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Faculty Applied Sciences

With more than 1,000 employees, including 135 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,400 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we train students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers and science communicators.

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