Master internship, PhD internship – Genk | More than two weeks ago
Overview
Be part of imec's interdisciplinary pursuit for the development of a low‑cost, durable, and efficient stand‑alone solar driven water splitting system. Rising temperatures, ocean acidification, extended droughts, shifting rainfall patterns, frequent forest fires, and melting glaciers all underscore the need to shift from fossil fuels to carbon‑free energy resources to mitigate climate change. Solar energy storage in the form of chemical energy—specifically, water splitting to produce renewable hydrogen—offers one of the most viable pathways toward the EU’s 2050 hydrogen strategy. Although indirect photovoltaic‑driven electrolysis offers high efficiencies, its costs remain prohibitive. Direct photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting on semiconductor surfaces is an attractive alternative, yet its efficiency remains low (STH efficiency of only 1.1 %). Key challenges involve efficient charge separation and gas product separation, largely governed by material properties and synthesis methods.
Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTS) semiconductors have tunable bandgaps (1.0–1.5 eV) suitable as low‑cost, environmentally friendly photocathodes, while BiVO₄ (bismuth vanadate) offers a tunable bandgap (2.1–2.4 eV) with high photovoltage and photocurrent densities. Coupling CZTS with BiVO₄ in a tandem configuration holds promise for an efficient, standalone solar water‑splitting system. This internship will focus on BiVO₄ photoanode development using solution processing and spray pyrolysis.
The work will involve reducing the BiVO₄ bandgap via H₂S treatment or S‑rich atmospheres, co‑depositing catalytic layers of cobalt phosphate (CoPi) or nickel‑iron oxyhydroxide (NiFeOOH), and conducting in‑situ PEC characterisation (IPCE, EIS, spectroelectrochemistry, IMPS) to study charge‑carrier kinetics and optimize performance.
Responsibilities
* Fabricate thin‑film BiVO₄ photoanodes using spray‑pyrolysis and solution‑processing techniques.
* Reduce BiVO₄ bandgap and introduce cocatalysts (CoPi or NiFeOOH) to enhance OER activity.
* Perform photo‑electrochemical measurements (photocurrent, IPCE, EIS) in the EnergyVille laboratory.
* Use IMPS to distinguish bulk and surface carrier dynamics.
* Analyze experimental data and contribute to publication‑ready manuscripts.
Requirements
Required educational background: Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Energy, Materials Engineering, Physics.
Internship Details
Type of internship: Master internship, PhD internship
Duration: 9 months
Supervising scientist: Sunil Suresh – Sunil.Suresh@imec.be
Reference code: 2026-INT-042
Allowance: Provided by Imec for students at non‑Belgian universities.
Application instructions: Include resume, motivation, and current study.
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