PhD student in Recycling of Solid Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Batteries

The Department of Chemistry - Ångström conducts research and education in the chemistry field. The department has more than 270 employees and has a turnover of 300 million SEK. At the department's six programs, we conduct very successful research of a high international standard. We have a large number of externally funded research projects, often with international cooperation and we see continued good growth in our subject area. The department has education assignments in engineering programs and master's programs. More information is available on our website. Department of Chemistry Ångström Laboratory

The Department of Chemistry – Ångström Laboratory has for many years hosted an environment focused on research and development of materials and their applications within the energy storage area: the Ångström Advanced Battery Centre. We develop novel electrode and electrolyte materials, characterize them, evaluate and improve them with respect to battery performance, and study fundamental chemical processes and properties using both experimental and computational techniques. The research is, as such, both fundamental and applied

Duties

The project  aims to establish a scientific basis for the recycling of solid electrolytes used in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). The project is a collaboration between Uppsala University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Université de Lorraine in France, combining expertise in solid-state chemistry, battery materials, hydrometallurgy, purification and crystallization.The project focuses on lithium halide solid electrolytes, an emerging class of materials with high ionic conductivity and promising electrochemical stability. The central goal is to understand how the recycling process and impurities introduced during battery operation and recycling influence the structure, ionic transport and electrochemical performance of resynthesized solid electrolytes. The results will be used to establish precursor quality specifications for closed-loop recycling of solid-state battery materials.

The doctoral student will be based at Uppsala University and will work across the different stages of the recycling process. Key duties include synthesis and structural characterization of lithium-containing halide solid electrolytes, preparation and characterization of solid-state battery cells, ionic transport measurements using impedance spectroscopy, and investigation of the influence of impurities on material and cell performance.

The candidate will also participate in the development and evaluation of recycled precursor materials produced through hydrometallurgical processing. A research stay at Université de Lorraine in France, where the candidate will work on leaching and purification processes, is an integral part of the project. The candidate will also collaborate with researchers at KTH on crystallization and synthesis of purified precursor materials.

The work will involve a combination of synthesis, structural and chemical characterization, electrochemical measurements, data analysis and interpretation. Particular emphasis will be placed on establishing quantitative relationships between precursor composition, impurity content, crystal structure, ionic transport and battery performance.

The duties may also include

• Planning and performing air- and moisture-sensitive synthesis of inorganic solid electrolytes
• Structural and chemical characterization using techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS and XPS
• Ionic transport characterization using temperature-dependent impedance spectroscopy
• Assembly and electrochemical testing of solid-state battery cells
• Analysis and interpretation of experimental data
• Research visits to collaborating institutions in Sweden and France
• Supervision of degree projects
• Data analysis and dissemination of research results through scientific publications and conference presentations
• Teaching at first and second cycle level
• Administration linked to the tasks above

Requirements

To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• been awarded a second-cycle degree in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or equivalent/another relevant field, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• acquired essentially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

The candidate must have

• very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• good organizational and time-management skills.
• good collaborative skills and the ability to work independently.
• a strong interest in materials chemistry, solid-state chemistry, energy storage or related fields.
• experience with experimental laboratory work in chemistry, materials science or a related field.
• experience with data analysis and scientific writing..

Experience in hydrometallurgy, leaching, solvent extraction or crystallization is considered advantageous but is not required. The project provides the opportunity to develop expertise in these areas through collaboration with KTH and Université de Lorraine.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development of research on solid-state batteries and circular battery materials.

Additional qualifications

Experience with battery assembly and electrochemical testing, inorganic synthesis, powder diffraction, or solid-state ionic transport is desirable. Previous experience with air- and moisture-sensitive materials is particularly relevant to the project.

About the employment

The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

For further information about the position, please contact: Xabier Martinez de Irujo-Labalde, xabier.martinezdeirujolabalde@kemi.uu.se, Kerstin Forsberg, kerstino@kth.se, Alexandre Chagnes, alexandre.chagnes@univ-lorraine.fr.

Please submit your application by November 9 2026, UFV-PA 2026/3103.

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