Master's thesis: Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes Based on Hard Carbon Derived fro at RISE SICS

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

08 Mar, 26

Salary

10000.0

Posted On

08 Dec, 25

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Biomass-Derived Carbon Synthesis, Structural Characterization, Morphological Characterization, Sodium-Ion Battery Fabrication, Electrochemical Testing, Na-Ion Storage Mechanisms

Industry

research

Description

Background and description Hard carbon derived from waste spent coffee grounds (SCGs) has emerged as a promising, sustainable anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), delivering capacities of 150–280 mAh g⁻¹ and excellent cycling stability. Owing to the lignocellulosic composition of coffee waste, rich in poly-hexagonal ring structures that carbonize efficiently, SCGs develop favorable microstructures for Na⁺ storage. Recent studies show that optimized two-stage thermal treatments can convert spent coffee grounds into well-structured hard carbons exhibiting capacities up to 270 mAh g⁻¹, ~98% retention over 100 cycles, and high full-cell energy densities. This approach also aligns strongly with biomass valorization and circular-economy principles by transforming an abundant waste stream into a high-value energy-storage material. The work aims to synthesize and optimize hard carbon from SCGs and evaluate its performance in sodium-ion half-cells and full-cells paired with cathodes. Key research tasks include (1) optimizing carbonization parameters to produce high-performance hard carbons; (2) conducting physicochemical characterization (XRD, Raman, SEM/TEM) to assess interlayer spacing, disorder, morphology, and pore structure; (3) performing electrochemical tests to determine ICE, Na⁺ storage mechanisms, rate capability, and full-cell behavior; and (4) correlating structural features with electrochemical performance to identify pathways for improving ICE, capacity, and rate capability. Overall, the work aims to advance sustainable SIB anode development while contributing to circular-economy strategies that valorize waste biomass into functional battery materials. Expected Learning Outcomes The student will gain experience in: Biomass-derived carbon synthesis Structural and morphological characterization of carbon materials Sodium-ion battery electrode fabrication and electrochemical testing Mechanistic understanding of Na-ion storage in hard carbon Supervisors: Main supervisor: Dr. Yaprak Subasi, yaprak.subasi@ri.se Co-supervisor: Dr. Illia Dobryden, illia.dobryden@ri.se Terms Location: RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm. Start date: 26th January, 2026. Compensation: 10,000 SEK for travel, materials and the like after the project is completed and approved. Welcome with your application! Application deadline: 18th of December.

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Responsibilities

The work involves synthesizing and optimizing hard carbon from spent coffee grounds and evaluating its performance in sodium-ion batteries. Key tasks include optimizing carbonization parameters, conducting physicochemical characterization, performing electrochemical tests, and correlating structural features with performance.