Postdoctoral Appointee - Membranes for Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Separations

Argonne National Laboratory • Lemont, IL

380d

About The Position

The Advanced Energy Technologies (AET) Directorate at Argonne National Laboratory is seeking to hire a postdoctoral appointee for fabricating and testing bipolar membranes (BPMs) for electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) separations. The candidate will be a part of the Applied Materials Division (AMD) within AET at Argonne and will contribute to the Lab's broader effort in carbon management R&D. The role will require the individual to work with personnel that perform machine learning and molecular simulations and electrochemical device testing. The candidate is expected to fabricate bipolar membranes (BPMs) from commercially available anion and cation exchange membranes and ionomers or in-house synthesized ionomer materials. The candidate should be proficient in electrochemistry or electrochemical engineering for measuring membrane ionic conductivity, ion-exchange capacity, and water uptake. The ability to characterize reverse bias and forward bias polarization behavior of BPM materials is a plus. Furthermore, we will teach the candidate how to fabricate membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for electrochemical CO2 separations; however, experience in making MEAs is a plus.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science and engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, and/or closely related discipline.
• Expertise in membrane fabrication and measuring the electrochemical properties of ionomer membranes.
• Skilled communication skills - both written and oral at all levels of the organization.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge in BPM fabrication and testing the polarization behavior of BPMs.
• Ability to synthesize anion- and cation-exchange ionomers using super-acid catalyzed polyhydroxyalkylation.
• Ability to fabricate MEAs for single-cell electrochemical testing.
• Experience in interdisciplinary collaborative research.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate bipolar membranes (BPMs) from commercially available anion and cation exchange membranes and ionomers.
• Measure membrane ionic conductivity, ion-exchange capacity, and water uptake.
• Characterize reverse bias and forward bias polarization behavior of BPM materials.
• Collaborate with teams and individuals in other divisions, laboratories, and companies.
• Present research at technical meetings and publish results in peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Model Argonne's core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork.
• Contribute to creating a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and accessible laboratory environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees