Currently Offered PhD Dissertation Topics for the 2025/2026 Academic Year
Electrocatalysts development for efficient „green“ hydrogen production by electrolysis of water-based solutions
Supervisor: Doc. Mgr. Anna Kityk, PhD.
Study program: Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
Annotation: The main focus of the research work will be the electrochemical and electroless preparation of effective electrocatalysts for the electrolysis of water-based solutions to produce hydrogen, an alternative fuel and energy source. The proposed work will address the problem of efficient electrocatalyst development, which will help to reduce the price of “green” hydrogen. The electrochemical deposition and electroless deposition of nano-structured, efficient and stable electrocatalysts based on Ni, Co, Mo, Fe alloys and their S, P – containing composites decorated by nanoparticles of noble metals on substrates from metal foams (Ni, Ti) and carbon-based foams (graphene and carbon nanotube foams) in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) will be realized. The electrocatalytic activity of newly developed materials will be evaluated. The optimal conditions for catalyst preparation will be proposed. The specifics of the hydrogen evolution on new catalysts will be characterized.
Keywords: electrocatalysts, hydrogen production, deep eutectic solvents, electrodeposition, electroless deposition
Project within which the topic will be addressed:
Project No. 09I03-03-V04-00020 “Eco-Friendly Surface Modification of Electrode Materials in Deep Eutectic Solvents: An Innovative Strategy for Enhancing Photo- and Electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction” funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia, 2024-2026. Project No. 09I04-03-V02-00006 “Development of Advanced Nano-structured Materials for Electrocatalysis using an Eco-friendly Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Sustainable Approach to Decarbonisation” funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia, 2025-2026.
New approaches in Li-ion battery recycling with utilization of deep eutectic solvents
Supervisor: Doc. Mgr. Anna Kityk, PhD.
Study program: Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
Annotation: The first step of the research work will be devoted to the comprehensive investigation of the possibility of using different types of DES binary and ternary with and without possible additions for efficient (above 95 %) low-temperature (below 100 oC) short-time (less than 12 hours) leaching of Ni, Co, Li and other elements from spent LIBs cathodes and anodes. Among tested DES will be neutral, acidic and basic DES and NADES composed of choline chloride and ethylene glycol/ propylene glycol/urea/their mixtures; acidic-based DES, which contain ascorbic, citric, lactic, malic, and amino acids, etc. The optimization of DES composition and leaching conditions will be performed in this step. The obtained results will be used for the informed design of DES for efficient leaching of all elements from LIBs cathodes and anodes. The second step is a design of chemical precipitation of all strategically important elements in the chosen DES. In this step evaluation of the solubility of formed in DES metal salts and complexes will be performed. Different precipitation agents will be tested for selective element precipitation. The last step of research work will be the investigation of the peculiarities of the electrochemical deposition of LIBs elements from DES-based leaching solutions.
Keywords: Li-ion batteries, recycling, deep eutectic solvents, dissolution, extraction, electrodeposition
Project within which the topic will be addressed:
under preparation
Efficiency enhancement of perovskite layers for optoelectronics and photovoltaics
Supervisor: RNDr. Naďa Mrkývková, PhD.
Study program: Physical Chemistry
Annotation: In the last decade, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have become the main candidates for efficient photodiodes and next-generation solar cells. Due to their high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY), hybrid perovskites efficiently convert injected charge carriers into light and vice versa. Although the PLQY is relatively high, further efficiency enhancement is limited by non-radiative recombination – either recombination at defects in the absorber layer or recombination of minority carriers at the perovskite-transport layer interface. The scope of this work will be to prepare thin perovskite layers and to study defects that play a key role in limiting photovoltaic device performance, aiming for successful defect passivation. The perovskite layers will also be used as an active electron-injecting layer for ultrafast redox reactions in solid-state batteries. For this purpose, optical spectroscopy methods (photoluminescence, absorbance, scanning optical microscopy) and indirect scattering methods (X-ray diffraction) will be used.
The work will be carried out at the CEMEA, Slovak Academy of Sciences, and partially at synchrotron facilities (DESY, SOLEIL). For detailed information, please email to: nada.mrkyvkova@savba.sk.
Keywords: perovskite layers, defects, efficiency, photovoltaics, batteries, spectroscopy, microscopy
Project within which the topic will be addressed:
IMPULZ (IM-2023-82) a 2023/727/PVKSC
Functionalized polymeric substrates for Li-batteries
Supervisor: Prof. Ahmed Nada, Dr.
Study program: Organic Chemistry
Annotation: The thesis topic includes the preparation of polymeric substrates as polymer binders for Lithium-based batteries to mitigate challenges of anode active materials such as silicon volume expansion and shuttle-effect of S-Li batteries. Innovative binders made of binary systems of modified natural polymers and nano-emulsion synthetic polymers as well as the impact of introducing differently charged functional groups to polymers on both mechanical and electrochemical characteristics will be investigated. Molecular weight of either natural or synthetic polymers will be tuned to enhance the adhesion and the cycling stability. The prepared polymers contain different charges in one structure could provide new platform to develop advanced electrode materials with high capacity, long cyclability, and high energy/power density. Work will include the characterization of polymers using chromatographic methods and spectral analyses. The compatibility with different electrolyte will be studied to obtain the highest specific capacity. The performance of the prepared polymers will be examined in half and full-cell configurations in electrochemical measurements.
Keywords: Li-based batteries, silicon, graphite, anode, polymer, shuttle-effect
Project within which the topic will be addressed:
ALD-protected Next Generation Lithium-Sulfur battery Cell, ANGeLiC, Europe Horizon project No. 101202842