University of St Andrews

Project description

Solid oxide fuel cells offer the most efficient method for conversion of biofuels to electrical energy; however, there a number of important considerations. First of all coking of fuel must be avoided and second it is important to maximise the electrical conversion efficiency, especially in the Brazilian context where heat is not generally a useful byproduct. In this project, we will consider fuels such as bioethanol, bioglycerol and bio-oils applying autothermal reforming strategies to optimise electrical output. A range of metallic and oxide composite anodes, maintaining low contents of coking active species such as Ni, will be investigated. Work will entail both heterogeneous catalytic studies, addressing thermal signature of reforming/oxidation processes and electrochemical tests of prospective anodes in realistic fuel streams.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof. John TS Irvine (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Dr Fabio Coral Fonseca, Dr. Marcelo Linardi, IPEN/CNEN-SP, Programa Célula a Combustível. Av. Lineu Prestes 2242, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo (SP), Brasil 05508-000

Additional notes

The groups interacted at the European SOFC Forum at Lucerne in 2010 that Irvine chaired. St Andrews interests in direct hydrocarbon fuel cells are closely correlated with Brazilian Technical priorities. Relevant publications: [1] "Advanced Anodes for High-Temperature Fuel Cells", A. Atkinson , S Barnett, R.J. Gorte, J.T.S. Irvine , A.J. McEvoy, M. Mogensen, C. Singhal , J.Vohs, Nature Materials, 2004, 3, 17-27. [2] "A Redox-Stable, Efficient Anode For Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells", S Tao and JTS Irvine, Nature Materials, 2003, 2, 320-323.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

The use of bimetallic nanoparticles supported on oxides is widespread in industrial catalysis. It is extremely important to characterise the elemental distribution within bimetallic nanoparticles as functions of temperature and gas environment since optimising and maintaining selectivity in complex catalytic processes requires well-defined surface atomic arrangements. Baddeley is expert in the use of medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) to characterise the depth dependent composition of bimetallic surfaces. Grande and co-workers have developed an elegant and sophisticated method to analyse MEIS data from sub-5nm nanoparticles arising from a detailed understanding of the asymmetrical energy-loss line shape in MEIS spectra.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Chris J. Baddeley (School of Chemistry, St Andrews),

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof Pedro L. Grande (Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

Additional notes

Student will spend time optimising sample preparation in St Andrews and acquiring data at the new MEIS facility at the University of Huddersfield. Detailed analysis of data will be carried out in Porto Alegre.[1] M.A. Sortica, P.L. Grande, G. Machado, L. Miotti, J. Appl. Phys. 106 (2009) 114320; [2] A.R. Haire, J. Gustafson, A.G. Trant, T.E. Jones, T.C.Q. Noakes, P. Bailey, C.J. Baddeley, Surf. Sci. 605 (2011) 214;[3] J. Gustafson, A.R. Haire, C.J. Baddeley, Surf. Sci. 605 (2011) 220.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

The iron-based superconductors are a recently discovered family of materials which become superconducting at temperatures up to ~50K. Superconductivity in these materials, similarly to high-temperature copper based superconductors, is most likely not mediated by phonon coupling, but either by some magnetically mediated coupling or electron correlations. This project will aim to determine the importance and origin of symmetry breaking electronic ordering for superconductivity. By spectroscopic imaging STM, the student will attempt to search for ordering phenomena in the electronic excitations and study their dependence on temperature and magnetic field, in order to elucidate their relation to superconductivity.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr P. Wahl, School of Physics and Astronomy

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

The student appointed to this project would benefit from training provided by the flagship Scottish Doctoral Training Centre in Condensed Matter Physics (CM-DTC) and the internationally renowned Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart, Germany. The CM-DTC provides international-level doctoral training in the core discipline of condensed matter physics. Students perform a PhD research project, take graduate level courses, participate in summer schools, conferences and workshops, and receive skills training relevant to their future careers. 

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

One of the primary goals of Electron Magnetic Resonance is to measure and understand electronuclear hyperfine interactions to obtain a detailed understanding of the local molecular environment of unpaired electrons in important material, chemical and biomolecular systems. These paramagnetic centres often define a materials electronic or optical properties or are central to the role of catalysts or enzymatic activity. The goal of this project is to demonstrate state-of-the-art sensitivity and capability for hyperfine measurements and impact across a wide range of interdisciplinary research areas. The project will be carried out by using and optimising a state-of-the-art high field EPR spectrometer developed in St Andrews.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr G Smith, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

The student appointed to this project would benefit from training in the Doctoral Training Centre in Integrated Magnetic Resonance, a collaboration between 6 of the UK's leading Universities in Advanced Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation and Techniques and includes St. Andrews, Dundee, Aberdeen, Warwick, Nottingham and Southampton. The aim is to provide a coherent training program for doctoral students whilst working on new research topics in instrumentation and methodology, associated with Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Electron Magnetic Resonance, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation (which collectively represent £multi-Billion annual markets).

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Arguably the most facinating aspects of astronomical black holes is the emission of Hawking radiation from the event horizon, an intriguing quantum effect combining gravity, thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. Unfortunately, the astrophysical Hawking radiation is far too weak to ever being detected directly. Recently, however, we have invented a method to create moving artificial event horizons with short pulses in optical fibers. Moreover, the expected Hawking radiation is strong enough to be detectable with single photon coincindence counting. The idea of the PhD programme is the detection and characterization of this elusive Hawking radiation for the first time. The work has already gained momentum in our group and a setup is built using optical pulses of just a few cycles pulse length. In addition we will explore similar quantum effects such as the Unruh effect and the dynamical Casimir effect.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr F Koenig, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

n/a

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

We propose to prepare multiply-doped ceria nanomaterials for application in new anode catalysts and electrolyte materials for intermediate temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells using hydrocarbon and bioethanol fuels. Anodes and electrolytes will require very different starting morphologies and doping strategies and we have experience in this area. [1-5] Key to both materials sets is the dependence of their defect chemistry and precise crystallography on temperature and gas atmosphere. Redox, catalytic and electrochemical evaluation at St Andrews will be coupled with in situ crystallography and X-ray absorption spectroscopy in Brazil in order to relate macroscopic performance to atomic environment and oxidation state.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Richard T. Baker (School of Chemistry, St Andrews),

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Dr Marcia Carvalho de Abreu Fantini (Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão Travessa R Nr.187 CEP 05508-090 Cidade Universitária, São Paulo - Brasil).

Additional notes

Dr^a Fantini and Baker and Fuentes co-authored a paper [6] on the reduction behaviour of ZrO₂-CeO₂ solid solutions with tubular nanostructure. Dr^a Fantini is Head of Department, has published over 100 papers and is an expert on the application of X-ray diffraction, X-ray scattering and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XRD, SAXS, EXAFS) to the study of materials including highly porous oxides and nanostructured zirconia. Her group is a frequent user of the Brazilian Laboratory of Synchrotron Light (LNLS). As part of a long-standing collaboration, Baker and Fuentes (previously a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Baker group, now group leader at Dept. of Condensed Matter Physics, National Committee for Atomic Energy, Buenos Aires, Argentina) have ten joint papers on ceria-based materials for fuel cell applications. They have made use of the XRD, XANES and EXAFS capabilities at the LNLS on several occasions to study the redox behaviour and crystallography of nanostructured doped cerium oxide materials and Dr Fuentes is a very experienced user of the LNLS. Baker speaks, reads and writes Portuguese having worked in the language for two years at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. References: [1] R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker, J. Power Sources 184 (2009) 268. [2] R.O. Fuentes and R.T. Baker. J. Phys. Chem. C 113 (2009) 914. [3] S. Song, R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker. J. Mater. Chem. 20 (2010) 9760.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Nanomaterials based on doped ceria and other compositions will be prepared and evaluated for application in new anode catalysts and electrolyte materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Anodes and electrolytes will require very different starting morphologies and doping strategies and we have experience in this area. [1-5] The excellent facilities for electron microscopy (SEM and HRTEM, both with EDX analysis) and XRD at St Andrews will be used to characterise the starting powders. Novel redox and catalytic methods will be used to identify the best compositions and these will be incorporated into electrochemical cells for evaluation as working fuel cell components.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr Richard T. Baker (School of Chemistry, St Andrews)

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  n/a

Additional notes

Dr. Baker speaks, reads and writes Portuguese having worked in the language for two years at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. References: [1] R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker, J. Power Sources 184 (2009) 268. [2] R.O. Fuentes and R.T. Baker. J. Phys. Chem. C 113 (2009) 914. [3] S. Song, R.O. Fuentes, R.T. Baker. J. Mater. Chem. 20 (2010) 9760. [4] M.R. Kosinski, R.T. Baker, J. Power Sources, 196 (2011) 2498. [5] J. Kearney, J.C. Hernández-Reta, R.T. Baker, Catal. Today (2012) 139.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

The aim of this project is to explore phase transitions in non-equilibrium quantum systems, and in particular, those involving many body quantum optics that is readily accessible to current or future experiments with cold atoms or superconducting qubits. The last few years have seen a growing range of experimental systems in which collective quantum optical effects can be studied, and which prompt important questions about the differences between "quantum" phase transitions in open and closed quantum systems, and whether open quantum systems can ever be described as displaying a quantum phase transition. In particular, experiments by the group of Esslinger in ETH have shown how cold atoms in an optical cavity subject to an external coherent pump can undergo a transition to a superradiant phase. This project will consider related problems, in which different aspects of quantum phase transitions in non-equilibrium systems become accessible.

Availability

Full PhD (36 months in UK)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Dr J Keeling, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s): n/a

Additional notes

The student appointed to this project would benefit from training in the flagship Scottish Doctoral Training Centre in Condensed Matter Physics (CM-DTC). The CM-DTC provides international-level doctoral training in the core discipline of condensed matter physics. Students perform a PhD research project, take graduate level courses, participate in summer schools, conferences and workshops, and receive skills training relevant to their future careers.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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Project description

Solar power is the most abundant renewable energy resource, but the relatively high cost of silicon solar cells has limited its adoption. We will pursue an attractive alternative technology using semiconducting polymers, which have potential for low-cost roll to roll fabrication. The efficiency of polymer solar cells is lower than silicon cells, and innovations in both materials and devices are needed. In this project the student will use complementary photophysical measurements in Campinas and St Andrews to study key processes such as exciton diffusion and charge transport. The results will be used to guide the development of more efficient polymer solar cells.

Availability

Co-tutelle PhD (12 months UK, 24 in Brazil)

Supervisers

• University of St Andrews Supervisor(s):

  Prof I.D.W. Samuel, Organic Semiconductor Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

• Brazilian University Supervisor(s):

  Prof. Ana Nogueira, Professor of Chemistry and Co-ordinator of the laboratory for Nanotechnology and Solar Materials, University of Campinas

Additional notes

Professor Ifor Samuel has been developing informal links with Brazilian groups at University of Campinas and PUC, Rio de Janeiro since a UK-Brazil workshop on Organic Electronics.

Start date

September 2012 or February 2013

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