Wherever EDF operates, our Group aims to invent a new energy model to address the climate crisis: lower-carbon, more efficient, with less impact on the environment and on people. Our “raison d'être” is to build a net zero energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive wellbeing and economic development[1]. The electricity produced by EDF worldwide is already 90% CO2 free and we aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Electricity storage is an essential lever to reach this goal and EDF aims to install 10 GW of additional storage by 2035.

A large portion of battery storage on the grid is performed using Lithium-ion batteries today. Being able to predict their lifetime, their state of health and their performance degradation curve are very important for the management of the storage and to decide on the optimal batteries to install for future use. The announced lifetime of Li-ion batteries has considerably increased and is now in double figures, but this lifetime is very dependent on the load profile as well as on the environment of the batteries are operated in. The EDF R&D Batteries Testing Lab[2] and Batteries Post-Mortem Analysis lab are useful tools to evaluate these criteria, but these tests are not sufficient.

The objective of the proposed thesis work is to develop a versatile model of different Li-ion batteries, which can be used to study the impact of the different electrochemical processes, the modification of the interfaces, the transformation of materials within the battery, etc, on the behaviour of the battery. The battery will be modelled on a mesoscopic scale, from the solid-liquid interface and other interfaces, to the full cell, based on the elementary physical and chemical reactions and mechanisms. A novel approach using cellular automata will be used with information generated from experimental measurements in the lab as well as DFT calculations. This 3D model will then be used to analyse how the Li-ion battery degrades as a function of solicitation, temperature, composition, microstructure of the electrodes, additives, etc.

The PhD fellow will be employed by EDF R&D with a 3-year CIFRE contract and will conduct his/her research activities mainly at the EDF Lab Renardières in Moret sur Loing (south of Paris). He/She will be registered with the University of Montpellier doctoral school. The thesis work is scheduled to start in October or November 2024.

The thesis work will be performed in collaboration with the ICGM Theory Department in Montpellier in addition to the EDF Labs. This institute is at the cutting edge of battery modelling and is members of the RS2E network together with EDF..

[1]                    https://www.edf.fr/en/the-edf-group/raison-d-etre
[2]                    https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/qui-sommes-nous/activites/recherche-et-developpement/edf-power-networks-lab/moyens-d-essais-laboratoire-de-batteries

·       The candidates must hold (or be about to receive) a Master's degree in chemistry, materials science, physics, energy, electrical engineering or related area, and have good English skills

·       Good knowledge and hands-on experience in programming an modelling

·       Excellent academic track record

·       Creative and highly motivated.

·       Rigorous, good writing skills and willing to learn French (for none French speakers)

Interested applicants are encouraged to send their application documents (letter of application, CV, academic transcript of education/diploma, description of research experience and motivation, names of at least two references) as one pdf document by e-mail to Philippe Stevens (philippe.stevens@edf.fr), Christophe Domain (christophe.domain@edf.fr) and Marie-Liesse Doublet (Marie-Liesse.Doublet@umontpellier.fr).