Impact of the hydrodynamics on the synthesis of the precursors of cathode active materials of batteries

Moving toward less carbonated transportation is a challenge for the society that relies on the electrification of the vehicle fleet, for which batteries performance needs to be better mastered and optimized. The control of composition and morphology of the precursors of active cathode materials (metal hydroxides Ni(1-x-y)CoyMnx(OH)2) is crucial because battery cells performance is highly dependent to these parameters. Presently, the lack of detailed knowledge of the fundamental processes involved prevents from having predictive models capable of finely design the final particles. Many parameters impact the product quality, thus, it is important to take into account the different phenomena involved to describe the precipitation evolution. Consequently, a coupled model considering the different physics involved will be adopted during the thesis.  
The study will include: 
•    An experimental study to understand the impact of different operational parameters (pH, concentrations, mixing, temperature,) on the form and size distribution of the formed particles.
•    Determination of kinetic parameters of the different phenomena involved (nucleation, growth, agglomeration, breakage) 
•    Development of a coupled hydrodynamics/kinetics model 
The candidate will integrate a multidisciplinary team (chemistry, analysis, chemical engineering, fluid mechanics) and will collaborate closely with another PhD student working on the same field. 

Keywords: modelling, precipitation, experimentation, CFD, kinetics, materials

• Academic supervisor    Prof. Clémence NIKITINE,  IFPEN, ORCID :0000-0003-2642-4349
• Doctoral School    ED206 Chimie, Procédé, Environnement U Lyon 1, Claude Bernard
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr Rim BRAHEM, ORCID : 0000-0003-3409-3789
• PhD location    IFPEN, Solaize, France
• Duration and start date    3 years, starting in the fourth quarter 2024 (Novembre 4)
• Employer    IFPEN
• Academic requirements    University Master degree in chemical engineering or fluid mechanics    
• Language requirements    English level B2 (CEFR)    
• Other requirements    Interest for experimentation and modelling (knowledge of one or more coding language / CFD (computational fluid dynamics) tools would be appreciated)

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to the IFPEN supervisor indicated below.