TOPIC #23
Unraveling the local and Average structures of Disordered rock salt materials
Research area: New Materials & Electrolytes
Keywords: Cathode; DRX; Li-ion; synthesis; local structure; NMR; PDF; XRD
Supervising team: Dany CARLIER & Marie GUIGNARD (Université de Bordeaux) & Matteo BIANCHINI (Univ. Bayreuth)
Abstract
This PhD project focuses on the synthesis and characterization of cation-disordered rock salt (DRX) materials, promising candidates for high-performance lithium-ion battery electrodes. Despite their compositional flexibility and potential for high capacity, DRX materials often exhibit local structural deviations—such as short-range cation ordering and Jahn-Teller distortions—that impact lithium transport and electrochemical performance.
The research aims to systematically investigate how synthesis methods influence local order and phase stability in DRX compounds of general formula Li₁₊ₓ(M,M')₁₋ₓ(O,F)₂. A range of synthesis techniques (solid-state, mechanochemical, sol-gel, molten salts, microwave) will be employed. Advanced structural characterization tools (XRD, PDF, NMR) and electrochemical testing in coin and pouch cells will be used to correlate local structure with battery performance.
The project is a collaboration between ICMCB (France) and the University of Bayreuth (Germany), combining expertise in synthesis, structural analysis, and electrochemistry.
Interest for the student
Expected mobility: The PhD student will have the opportunity to attend at least two conferences, one in France and one abroad. She/he will have the opportunity to meet leading international scientists working in the field of battery research.
In addition to attending national and international conferences and training programmes organised within the Destiny programme, the PhD student will spend one long period or several periods working with the academic partner in Germany. These periods (6 months in total) will be spent in Professor Bianchini’s group at the University of Bayreuth (UBT). The PhD candidate will therefore benefit from balanced co-supervision from both academic partners.
Career opportunities: The student will benefit from the network of academic and industrial collaborations that the ICMCB has established over many years. They will have the opportunity to meet renowned scientists at the scientific conferences that the ICMCB plans to organise during their PhD. This will enable the PhD student to identify potential supervisors for a postdoctoral position. ICMCB alumni also form an important network within companies that work in the field of electrochemical energy storage. Therefore, the student will be able to benefit from the support of this community if they are interested in pursuing an industrial career. Moreover, the dual supervision with the UBT partners will also allow access to the academic and industrial community in Germany.
