Western Australia has strong opportunities in renewable energy, resources and industrial decarbonisation. However, the increasing use of renewable electricity also creates challenges in electrochemical energy storage, grid stability, remote power supply and safe energy deployment in regional and industrial environments. Reliable, safe and cost-effective energy storage technologies are important for supporting renewable energy integration, reducing the dependence on fossil fuel-based power generation, and enabling the transition of energy-intensive industries. Many advanced battery systems are limited by interfacial and transport-related challenges. During battery operation, ions and electrons need to move across complex interfaces between electrode materials and electrolytes. Sluggish ion transport, slow charge transfer, side reactions and active material degradation can reduce energy efficiency, cycling stability and practical performance.
This PhD project will address these challenges by investigating interface regulation and transport behaviour in advanced rechargeable batteries. This research project is suitable for a future PhD student interested in expanding their interdisciplinary knowledge in chemical engineering, materials science and electrochemistry and wishing to gain expertise and skillsets for frontier energy storage research. The project may involve aqueous batteries, solid-state batteries or other electrochemical energy storage systems, depending on the background and interests of the student. The student will develop expertise in materials synthesis, electrode fabrication, electrochemical testing, battery data analysis and materials characterisation.
Aim
This project aims to understand and regulate interfacial reactions and the ionic/electronic transport behaviour in advanced batteries to improve electrochemical performance and stability. The project will provide a new understanding of how electrode surface chemistry, electrolyte properties and electrode-electrolyte interfacial interactions affect the interface reactions and ionic-electronic transport behaviour.
Objectives
The objectives of this project are to:
- Develop advanced battery materials with controlled composition, morphology, surface chemistry and interfacial properties.
- Investigate how electrode-electrolyte interfaces affect ion transport, charge transfer, reaction reversibility and degradation behaviour.
- Design and optimise interface and surface regulation strategies, such as grain boundary designs, surface modification, protective interfacial layers, electrolyte optimisation or ion-conductive interphases.
- Evaluate electrochemical performance and establish material-interface-performance relationships.
Depending on the background and interests of the student, the project may also involve temperature-dependent electrochemical operation optimisations, advanced materials characterisations, mechanistic investigation of side reactions (e.g., gas evolution), unfavourable mass transfer behaviours (e.g., active material dissolution), or assessment of the relevance of the developed materials to renewable energy storage and remote power applications in Western Australia.
Significance
This project addresses an important challenge in energy storage research, i.e., how to regulate the interface electrochemical reactions and ionic-electronic transport behaviour that govern battery performance and degradation. Addressing this challenge is important for improving the cycling life, energy efficiency, safety and practical reliability of advanced battery systems. The project is relevant to Western Australia’s energy transition, as safe and durable energy storage technologies are highly demanded. This supports renewable energy integration, remote and regional power supply, and the decarbonisation of mining and industrial operations. Interface regulation and transport regulation can provide universal design principles for a range of battery systems (including those with aqueous or solid-state electrolytes) and other advanced electrochemical energy storage technologies.
The PhD research will generate new knowledge in electrochemistry, materials chemistry, battery interface science and transport behaviour. It will also provide strategies for improving battery performance through electrode design, electrolyte optimisation and interface engineering. The project will expand the student’s skill set in experimental investigation, electrochemical analysis, materials characterisation, data interpretation and scientific communication. The student will acquire fundamental knowledge in energy storage technology and develop research capabilities relevant to academic research, battery technology development and the clean energy sector.
Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a self-motivated PhD candidate with excellent organisation, problem-solving and communication skills. Candidates should have a background in chemical engineering, materials science, materials engineering, chemistry, electrochemistry, energy engineering or a related discipline. Previous experience in experimental research, electrochemical testing, materials synthesis, battery research, data analysis or scientific writing is desirable. Candidates with publications or research experience in materials science, electrochemistry, chemical engineering or energy storage are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate must be eligible to enrol in the PhD program at Curtin University.
This project is open to International and Domestic applicants.
Scholarship
If you are identified as the preferred candidate for this project, you may be considered for an RTP scholarship.
Enquires and How to Apply
For enquires about this opportunity contact Dr Yijun Zhong via yijun.zhong@curtin.edu.au
To formally apply submit an Expression of Interest to Dr Yijun Zhong during the Central Scholarship round (July 1st – July 31st 2026)