New projects and joining the group

Post-doc positions

If you are interested in working with me then I am always looking to support candidates in applying for personal post-doctoral fellowships (for instance see Newton International FellowshipsLink opens in a new window, UKRI postdoctoral FellowshipsLink opens in a new window, Royal Commission of 1851 FellowshipsLink opens in a new window, and Marie-Curie FellowshipsLink opens in a new window). If you are interested then please contact me with a CV plus small statement of your interests and we can discuss what would make a good proposal to develop and submit.

PhD projects starting in 2027

See below adverts for open projects. See our Department information page hereLink opens in a new window on how to apply, and see the adverts on the Department project list hereLink opens in a new window. Email me at alex.w.robertson@warwick.ac.uk if you are interested to learn more.

Diagnosing cathode mechanisms and degradation in aqueous batteries

Potential for international and UK funding!

Aqueous batteries offer a promising route towards safe, sustainable, and cost-effective energy storage, particularly for large-scale and long-duration applications. However, the commercial deployment of these technologies is limited by an incomplete understanding of the processes occurring within their oxide cathodes. Charge storage may involve intercalation, structural transformations, dissolution and reprecipitation, while repeated cycling can produce irreversible phase changes and loss of active material.

This PhD project will investigate these coupled charge-storage and degradation mechanisms using advanced structural and imaging techniques. By combining a suite of advanced characterisation techniques, including operando transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and neutron diffraction, the project will connect nanoscale transformations with changes in the bulk crystal structure during battery operation. The resulting mechanistic understanding will inform design principles for better aqueous battery cathodes.

As a student on this project, you will work with battery scientists in the Physics Department and Warwick’s WMG to apply these advanced characterisation approaches. If the idea of applying sophisticated experimental approaches to attain a better understanding of a complex but important materials problem appeals, then this PhD project could be for you.

Due to its interdisciplinary nature, this project should be eligible for the fully funded UK and international Interdisciplinary Chancellors scholarship.

You will join a team of materials scientists who use advanced characterisation techniques to understand new energy and nanomaterials. This project is ideally suited to a student with a background and interest in physics, chemistry, materials science, and related subjects.

Project PDF advert hereLink opens in a new window.

Constructing an Artificial Interphase for Tin Metal Anodes through Informed Design

Tin metal anodes have recently emerged as promising candidates for next-generation aqueous batteries due to their high theoretical capacity and cost-effectiveness. However, their practical deployment is hindered by interfacial instability, leading to uncontrolled deposition/dissolution, corrosion, and formation of unwanted byproducts. We want to design and construct an ideal interphase that stabilizes Sn metal anodes, enabling improved cycling performance and durability, but for that we first need a comprehensive understanding of the interface between electrode and electrolyte, and how it changes as the rechargeable battery is cycled.

The electrolyte–electrode interface plays a critical role in governing Sn behaviour during electrochemical cycling. A well-engineered interphase can:

Regulate Sn deposition/dissolution kinetics
Suppress parasitic reactions and surface passivation
Mitigate corrosion under aqueous conditions

Despite its importance, the nature of the interphase formed on Sn in aqueous systems remains poorly understood. This project will bridge this knowledge gap by correlating interphase composition and structure with cycling performance and the anode’s durability.

To tackle this challenge, you will employ advanced characterisation techniques available at Warwick, including:

Operando electrochemical liquid-cell TEM for real-time visualization of Sn deposition/dissolution.
Cross-sectional TEM to resolve interphase morphology and structure.
XPS and XAS for surface composition and solvation analysis.
Mass spectrometry to quantify interphase components and unwanted byproducts.

These will allow you unprecedented access to information at the interface, which will provide you the basis to consider how to appropriately tailor your battery to achieve the best performance.

Project PDF advert hereLink opens in a new window.