Material Scientist (f/m/x) - Functional Material Development and Qualification in the Field of Solar Fuels

At DLR, processes and plant technology are being developed to produce so-called "solar fuels" such as hydrogen or "solar chemicals" using concentrated solar radiation. These processes include, for example, the thermochemical processes for splitting water and CO2, high temperature steam electrolysis, steam and dry reforming, and photoelectrochemical water splitting with elevated solar flux densities. Central activities of DLR, Institute of Future Fuels in this context are the development and experimental qualification of components and materials such as redox systems or catalysts in the laboratory, as well as key components such as absorbers, solar receivers and prototype systems for fuel generation in the solar furnace in Cologne or solar simulator Synlight in Jülich. In addition, the technology must then be transferred to a solar tower system for demonstration purposes. This involves not only planning and carrying out experimental work, but also designing numerical models to run simulations. In the beginning the work will be carried out at the DLR site Köln until new laboratories in the Institute’s main site in Jülich will available. The results of DLR's solar research contribute to making a rational and environmentally friendly energy supply technically and economically possible.

Tasks:

• development and qualification of catalyst, redox materials and other key functional materials for solar fuel production processes

• development of numerical models to screen materials and to predict materials performance

• develop and use thermodynamic and kinetic models to describe solid state and solid-gas reactions

• run standard and advanced material characterization (bulk and surface)

• develop method to incorporate functional materials in solar equipment like solar reactors

• develop material synthesis routes

• use surface coating techniques

• develop and established methods to bring materials to 3D structures

• derive systematic dependencies of materials properties and their performance indicators in relevant

solar processes

• scientific processing of work packages in projects

• preparation of projects in the field of solar fuels

• communication with project partners in international projects in English

• supervision of bachelor and master students