This project builds on continued research leading to the development of a hydrophobic DES for the selective extraction of gallium from waste streams. Gallium is an element in critical supply, especially given the recent technological advancements and the provision of 5G networks on a nationwide scale. In order to meet the global demands, more waste sources must be valorised to ensure that a steady supply of gallium can be maintained.

The student will work in the QUILL laboratories and gain experience designing and developing green solvents, as well as using them in extraction processes. A broad range of analytical techniques will be used, in particular thermal measurements: TGA and DSC, in addition to quantifying metal content by XRF and studying metal speciation by vibrational spectroscopy (IR and Raman).

Duration (up to 12 weeks) and orientational dates:  10 weeks

For more detail and to apply, please contact directly Prof Gosia Swadzba-Kwasny (m.swadzba-kwasny@qub.ac.uk)

For achieving high yield of jasminaldehyde, it is important to enhance the kinetics of cross-Aldol condensation, and minimise the self-Aldol condensation of heptanal. Both these objectives can be achieved by combining catalyst design and process design. We have prepared active PIIL catalyst and preliminarily evaluated the semi-batch process using heptanal as the limiting reagent. Selectivity of Jasminaldehyde could be significantly improved to 92% in semi batch process, as compared to 70% in batch process.

Over summer 2023, we will further optimise the jasminaldehyde process using semi-batch conditions, and also transform the process to continuous flow conditions using new reactor design, a distributed plug-flow reactor, which is now fabricated and ready to use. As compared to normal plug flow conditions, the distributed plug flow reactor mimicks the semi-batch process, but in continuous flow. Successful completion of the project will allow us to widen the scope of reactions to similar cross Aldol condensations useful in perfumery and flavours such as Raspberry ketone, using environment friendly PIIL catalysts in continuous flow.

Duration (up to 12 weeks) and orientational dates:  12 weeks

For more detail and to apply, please contact directly Dr Haresh Manyar (h.manyar@qub.ac.uk)

The goal is to prepare performant materials for CO₂ uptake versus CH₄. The sorbents will be prepared by a PhD student, Mark Young, who will also supervise and train the student in the relevant techniques. The summer student will perform material characterisation (NMR, viscosity, density, TGA, DSC, Karl-Fischer) and the screening for CO₂, CH₄ and for CO₂/CH₄ mixed absorption capacities and separation selectivity via headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC). The results will be compiled and analysed to determine any tendencies and important functionalities for sorbent optimisation.

Duration (up to 12 weeks) and orientational dates:  8 weeks

For more detail and to apply, please contact directly Dr Leila Moura (L.Moura@qub.ac.uk)

3D printing is an emerging technique which offers the user the freedom of form and design and which can be easily used in a range of applications. The most common 3D printing techniques are fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolitography (SLA). Additive manufacturing can have applications on a number of chemical process unit operations including pumps, mixers, and reactors (P.A. Kozak, 2020). Many of the factors which determine the total performance of the mixer-settler with respect to size and separation are the same as those which affect the mass transfer performance of the mixer (A.D. Ryon, 1960). The mass transfer performance and phase separation operations are significantly affected by independent variables such as: mixer configuration, agitator speed, residence time in mixer, phase continuity, organic/aqueous ratio, specific settler flow, and settler configuration.

Figure 1: (a) CAD model of 3D printable mixer settler and (b) 3D printed mixer settler unit.

References: P. A. Kozak, P. Tkac, K. E. Wardle, M. A. Brown, G. F. Vandegrift, 2020. Demonstration of the MOEX Process Using Additive-Manufacturing-Fabricated Annular Centrifugal Contactors, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange; A.D. Ryon, F.L. Dley, R.S. Lowries, 1960. Design and scale-up of mixer-settlers for the dapex solvent extraction process.

Duration (up to 12 weeks) and orientational dates:  12 weeks

For more detail and to apply, please contact directly Dr Oana Istrate (O.Istrate@qub.ac.uk)

By using new non-aqueous, ionic liquid-based formulations containing redox-stable ionic liquids containing a dispersion of nanoparticles, we can currently increase the vanadium concentration in the electrolyte.1 An overall improvement of the vanadium concentration will lead to a significantly improved energy density that is currently one of the limitations of these redox-flow battery systems. In this project, we will further develop the electrolyte chemistries and characterise them. The electrolytes will then be electrochemically characterised and tested and evaluated in a redox flow cell.

Figure 1: Schematic view of a vanadium redox flow battery (left). Redox flow cell (right).

The student will have the opportunity to work as a part of a research team and acquire a very broad set of skills: advanced inorganic synthetic methods, combined with analytical techniques such as UV/Vis, IR/Raman, NMR, PXRD, single-crystal XRD as well as electron microscopy (SEM) for material characterisation. A student who likes coordination chemistry, nanomaterials and has an interest in (moderate) (in)organic synthesis would be ideal.

Reference: L. Bahadori, R. Boyd, A. Warrington, M.S. Shafeeyan, P. Nockemann, Evaluation of ionic liquids as electrolytes for vanadium redox flow batteries, J. Mol. Liq., 2020, 317, 114017.

Duration (up to 12 weeks) and orientational dates:  12 weeks

For more detail and to apply, please contact directly Prof Peter Nockemann (p.nockemann@qub.ac.uk)