General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DRF-26-0207
Direction
DRF
Thesis topic details
Category
Technological challenges
Thesis topics
Exploration of VACNTs in Anode-less Batteries: Mechanism and Cell Optimization
Contract
Thèse
Job description
Anode-less or anode-free batteries are getting increasing attention owing to their excellent energy density, cost efficiency, and ease of process upscaling. Exploring anode-less battery will offer a breakthrough in energy storage devices by using the lithium reserve already present in the NMC cathode to reversibly cycle after an initial formation process, which will reduce the overall thickness, processing steps, and cost of materials, and provide excellent energy density. Vertically aligned CNTs (VACNTs) on metal substrates can be an interesting choice for this application due to their low thickness, reproducible synthesis process, and uniform surface properties, which have already proven their applicability in supercapacitors. In this PhD project, we will investigate their newer avenue of applications- anode-less batteries, where VACNTs act as the lithium or sodium plating substrate. We will study the electrochemistry of VACNT in lithium anode-less batteries (in liquid and solid electrolytes) and in sodium anode-less batteries in a liquid electrolyte. The PhD student will work on the synthesis optimizations of VACNT to tune the thickness and density to match their electrochemistry. Post-cycling studies (Raman and SEM) will be carried out to study the effect of cycling and the electrolytes on the VACNT layers. The project aims to explore the possibility of the application of VACNTs in various energy storage systems, which can open up new application possibilities and valorization
University / doctoral school
Sciences Chimiques: Molécules, Matériaux, Instrumentation et Biosystèmes (2MIB)
Paris-Saclay
Thesis topic location
Site
Saclay
Requester
Position start date
01/10/2026
Person to be contacted by the applicant
PONGILAT Remith
remith.pongilat@cea.fr
CEA
DRF/IRAMIS/NIMBE/LEEL
CEA Paris-Saclay
DRF/IRAMIS/NIMBE/LEEL
UMR 3685 NIMBE- CEA/CNRS
Bât 637, Pièce 5
91191 Gif sur Yvette
FRANCE
+33169088190
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
PINAULT Mathieu
mathieu.pinault@cea.fr
CEA
DRF/IRAMIS/NIMBE/LEDNA
CEA Saclay
DRF/IRAMIS/NIMBE/LEDNA- UMR 3685
Bât. 522, P. 248A
91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France
01-69-08-91-87
En savoir plus
https://iramis.cea.fr/nimbe/ledna/pisp/mathieu-pinault/
https://iramis.cea.fr/nimbe/ledna/
https://iramis.cea.fr/en/nimbe/leel/post-li-ion-batteries-3/