Nanoparticle Suspensions for Flow Batteries
This project aims to improve flow battery efficiency by engineering nanoparticle suspensions to enhance fluid flow, conductivity, and energy storage.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Base stipend approximately $82,764/year with $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Fellowship supporting postdoctoral research to engineer nanoparticle suspensions for improved flow battery efficiency by enhancing fluid rheology, conductivity, and energy storage capacity.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree; research conducted onsite at NIST Center for Neutron Research; requires prior contact with Research Adviser.
Description
This fellowship opportunity supports postdoctoral researchers aiming to improve the efficiency of flow batteries used for grid-scale electrical energy storage. The project focuses on overcoming limitations caused by the rheology, energy density, and stability of the working fluids in flow batteries. These fluids have conflicting requirements that force performance trade-offs, reducing overall efficiency and lifecycle.
The research involves using advanced techniques such as rheology, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and Rheo-SANS (a combination of rheology and SANS), alongside dielectric spectroscopy and conductivity measurements. The goal is to understand how nanoscale engineering of nanoparticle suspensions can optimize fluid flow, interactions, conductivity, and microstructure. This will help lower viscosity, increase conductivity, and enhance the energy storage capacity of flow battery fluids.
The fellowship is hosted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research in Gaithersburg, MD.
