Phd or Post Doc Research Position - Freiburg, Deutschland - Universität Freiburg

Universität Freiburg

Geprüftes Unternehmen

Freiburg, Deutschland

vor 1 Woche

Geschrieben von:

Lena Wagner

beBee Recruiter

Beschreibung

The livMats Cluster of Excellence is offering a research position - Triboelectric Energy Harvesting through Mechanical Design PhD or Post Doc research position

Bewerbungsfrist:
Veröffentlicht:
Startdate: At the earliest possible date.
Parttime position (65 %)
Kennziffer:

Beschreibung:

The Cluster of Excellence _liv_MatS develops novel, bioinspired materials systems that adapt autonomously to various environments and harvest clean energy from their surroundings.

The intention of these technical - yet in a behavioral sense quasi-living - materials systems is to meet the societal grand challenges with environmental and energy technologies.

The research program of _liv_MatS is characterized by highly interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers from a broad range of fields including engineering, chemistry, physics, biology, psychology, the humanities, and sustainability sciences.

Project description
When contact between two dissimilar surfaces breaks, they can retain opposite charges.

This phenomenon is called the triboelectric effect, and its well-known manifestation is the charging of a silicone balloon if rubbed against someone's hair.

Triboelectric generators (TENGs) exploit the triboelectric effect to harvest mechanical energy from the environment.

Multiple prototypes of smart clothes or shoes capable of powering small sensors via this effect have been presented over the last years.

However, the triboelectric effect is not well-understood from a physical point of view, which hinders the progress of TENGs and their integration into commercial products.

Among the physical parameters influencing the performance of a TENG are contact force, chemical and/or physical properties of the mating surfaces, as well as speed and dynamics of contact formation and release.

Here in the Cluster of Excellence, we have a large consortium working on multiple challenges related to the triboelectric effect: from a chemical modification of contact surfaces to engineering large-scale demonstrators.

This particular project will investigate the role of mechanical conditions on charge separation efficiency using simple tabletop experiments, numerical methods, and analytical theory.

The idea is that the contact separation conditions (compliance of surface, separation velocity, etc.) are important factors, and a better understanding of their contribution will help to create more efficient generators.

In general, from theoretical and experimental points of view, this project is closely related to fracture mechanics and adhesive contact mechanics.

Within our tribogen consortium, multiple Ph.
D. students and postdocs work on different aspects of the triboelectric effect, and close cooperation with other groups is encouraged. Experimental findings will be actively employed in creating a next-gen TENG demonstrator.
- basic understanding of the theory of cracks (fracture mechanics) and contact mechanics
- basic numerical programming (preferably Python)
- experience with experimental testing of mechanical properties
- experience in the programming and operation of computer-controlled lab equipment (e.g. LabView) and measurement equipment (power supplies, multimeters, oscilloscopes)

Please hand in:

Curriculum Vitae with list of publications (if applicable)
Certified copies of your university degree(s) with grades (BA and MA certificate / Diploma certificate and transcript)
Short summary of your master's thesis (up to 1,000 words)
Work sample (chapter from recent thesis or journal article, up to 5,000 words)
Suggestion of two referees with contact details

The salary will be determined in accordance with E13 TV-L.

Bewerbung:

University of Freiburg
livMatS
Georges-Köhler-Allee105
79110 Freiburg