Master Student Chemistry, Material Science, Physics or similar (w/m/d)

Enter the fascinating world of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and help shape the future through research and innovation! We offer an exciting and inspiring working environment driven by the expertise and curiosity of our 11,000 employees from 100 nations and our unique infrastructure. Together, we develop sustainable technologies and thus contribute to finding solutions to global challenges. Would you like to join us in addressing this major future challenge? Then this is your place!

For our Institute of Future Fuels in Köln we are looking for a

Experimental evaluation of alternative materials for CO₂ capture at high-temperatures

What to expect:

Would you like to contribute to a sustainable future by investigating materials for CO₂ capture? Then the Institute of Future Fuels is the right place for you!

The vision of the DLR Institute for Future Fuels is to develop technological solutions that enable the cost-effective production of fuels, hydrogen, or even commodities in the sunbelt of the earth on an industrial scale. At the institute, we use our unique infrastructure in which concentrated solar energy covers the heat demand of high-temperature processes. Some of these processes require a sustainable CO₂ source, e.g. CO₂ captured from air.

Carbon capture technologies play an important role in order to minimize the environmental impacts caused by climate change. Among the different processes for CO₂ capture, the carbonation of certain metal oxides is a promising option. These metal oxides are able to firstly react with CO₂ from air or from point sources and secondly to release the CO₂ again at a higher temperature. Concentrated solar energy can easily cover the thermal energy demand of this carbonation/calcination cycle to run the process in a sustainable manner.

The aim of your master thesis is the assessment of novel materials for CO₂ capture at high-temperatures (i.e. above 600 °C). Important parameters to be considered are the carbonation and decarbonation rate, reaction temperatures, and cyclability. You will start with a literature review of synthesis routes for certain metal oxides and the analysis of their thermodynamic behavior based on existing databases to define potential alternative CO₂ capture materials. The next step is the synthesis of these identified material candidates for carbon capture. Your main focus will be on the evaluation of the cyclability and carbonation rates using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, the synthesized materials will be characterized with different techniques, e.g., XRD, SEM, BET. In the end, you will assess and compare the tested materials to identify the most promising material candidate for the next development step using solar calcination/carbonation reactors.

What we expect from you:

What we offer:

DLR stands for diversity, appreciation and equality for all people. We promote independent work and the individual development of our employees both personally and professionally. To this end, we offer numerous training and development opportunities. Equal opportunities are of particular importance to us, which is why we want to increase the proportion of women in science and management in particular. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are qualified.

Further information:

Starting date: 01.10.2024
Duration of contract: 6 months
Type of employment: part-time

Remuneration: up to German TVöD 5

Vacancy-ID: 95755

Contact:
Dr. Dayana D'Arc de Fatima Palhares Future Fuels
Tel.: 02203 601 1568