Internship | Electrofuels

About this position

Rising CO2 levels and its negative impact on the global climate is a major problem facing humanity today. Apart from the large-scale efforts taken to curb the CO2 emissions, another alternative is to sequester them at large industrial emitters and further electrochemically convert the CO2 to organic feedstocks/valuable compounds like, methanol, ethylene, formic acid, etc. A key technological challenge to enable such a process is the design the materials that effectively reduce the CO2 at low over-potentials and generate the desired products at high current densities and do so without forming unwanted by-products. Due to the poor solubility of CO2 in aqueous electrolytes. For this reason, it is preferred to work with gaseous electrolyte in one of the electrochemical half-cells. The other half utilizes liquid electrolyte that provides necessary humidity to the membrane separating the half cells and the electrolyte’s conductivity is e enhanced with additional ions stemming from for example KOH. Membrane conductivity and selectivity plays a key role in the overall cell performance and lifetime, making it prime contender for further development.

What will be your role?

In this internship CO2 reduction will be studied to produce ethylene on copper catalyst due to its preferable selectivity. The copper-based nanostructures will be synthesized using various techniques and then used to prepare an ink to coat the electrode. This electrode will then be combined with membrane and counter electrode to form the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) stack. Composition and assembly procedure of this stack will be varied to find the most optimal configuration.

An approximate description of the activities to be encountered during this project are:

Performing literature review and gain acquainted with:

• Materials to produce ethylene via electrocatalysis.
• Electrode design strategies.
• Electrochemical cell design.
• CO2 reduction via electrocatalysis.
• Investigation of strategies to manufacture gas and liquid diffusion electrodes with different catalysts.
• Manufacturing custom MEAs.
• Electrochemical experiments with full data analysis.
• Participating in active discussion with colleagues about your results.
• Reporting and presenting your findings.

What we expect from you

• The duration of this internship is at least 6 months. Please clearly mention duration availability and starting period in your application.
• Interest in the energy transition.
• High motivation, with a curious nature and a taste for problem-solving.
• Ability to work autonomously within a small team and good social skills to get the information you need from the most knowledgeable people around you.
• Good communication skills (in English).

What you'll get in return

You want an internship opportunity on the precursor of your career; an internship gives you an opportunity to take a good look at your prospective future employer. TNO goes a step further. It’s not just looking that interests us; you and your knowledge are essential to our innovation. That’s why we attach a great deal of value to your personal and professional development. You will, of course, be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Furthermore, we provide:

• A highly professional, innovative internship environment, within a team of top experts.
• A suitable internship allowance (615 euro for wo-, hbo- and mbo-students, for a full-time internship).
• Possibility of eight hours of free leave per internship month (for a full-time internship).
• A free membership of Jong TNO, where you can meet other TNO professionals and join several activities, such as sports activities, (work-related) courses or the yearly ski-trip.
• Use of a laptop.
• An allowance for travel expenses in case you don’t receive an OV-card.

TNO as an employer

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. Since 1932, we have been making knowledge and technology available for the common good. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world.

At TNO we encourage an inclusive work environment, where you can be yourself. Whatever your story and whatever unique qualities you bring to the table. It is by combining our unique strengths and perspectives that we are able to develop innovations that make a real difference in society.