PhD Studentship under Supervision of Dr Svetlana Menkin

The research in the Menkin group aims to understand surface reactions on battery electrodes and to use these insights to enable sustainable, safe, and affordable energy storage solutions, which are essential for mitigating climate change. The group studies metal plating, which is critical for realising higher-energy batteries using abundant elements such as sodium, calcium, and aluminium. This PhD project, titled 'Bio-inspired Artificial Interfaces for Multivalent Metal Batteries,' aims to develop self-healing artificial electrode–electrolyte interphases inspired by ion transport in biological systems. The project will involve fundamental studies of electrochemical processes at metal electrode–electrolyte interfaces across non-aqueous (e.g., aluminium) and aqueous (e.g., zinc) battery chemistries, using state-of-the-art experimental methods including scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The interplay between the physical and electrochemical properties of the interphase, charge and mass transport across the solid–liquid interface, and their impact on battery performance will be explored to enable the development of more sustainable batteries. The methods developed will also apply to the study of today's lithium-ion batteries, emerging lithium and sodium anode-free batteries, and future high-energy multivalent chemistries such as zinc, calcium, and aluminium. This will provide the PhD candidate with an excellent foundation for a future career in the broad fields of batteries, physical chemistry, and energy materials. The studentship provides £20,000 annually for 4 years covering home fees and maintenance costs. One award is available for the 2026/27 academic year, awarded on the basis of academic merit. A background in electrochemistry and/or scanning probe microscopy is advantageous.