PhD Position Advancing Electrically Driven Separation Processes via Local pH-Gradient Analysis

Challenge:
Master electrically-induced pH gradients;
Change:
Investigate electrochemical interfaces to optimize separation performance;
Impact: A chemical-free and circular Dutch process industry

Industrial processes and wastewater treatment currently depend heavily on chemical processing aids, increasing energy consumption and adding complexity to process operations and logistics. In this project, a collaborative initiative involving both academic and industrial partners, coordinated by the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT), we aim to develop a fundamentally different approach. By harnessing electric fields to create local pH gradients and electrostatic molecular interactions, we seek to replace conventional chemical processing aids.

As a PhD candidate at TU Delft, you will investigate the fundamental behavior of electrically induced pH gradients at critical interfaces, including electrodes and membranes used in electrochemical separation processes. You will work towards specific user-cases / user-applications and demonstrate the membrane processes in close collaboration with the partners and other collaborators in the consortium, which are not yet known and will be defined throughout the project.

Your main research will focus on:

• visualizing and quantifying local pH gradients using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) to understand their influence on separation performance and membrane durability;
• elucidating transport phenomena in membranes by integrating your experimental observations with advanced electrode characterization data generated within the consortium; and
• developing membrane modification strategies to enhance performance, durability, and anti-fouling properties, thereby reducing energy demand as well as capital and operational costs for specific user-cases.

In close collaboration with project partners and other research groups at the TU Delft, you will also contribute to the development of physics-informed models by performing two-dimensional simulations of local pH gradients. These models will link interfacial mass transport limitations near membranes and electrodes with system-level performance, enabling the design of more efficient and sustainable electrochemical separation technologies.

You will join the interdisciplinary research team of the Bazyar Lab within the Department of Chemical Engineering, section of Catalysis, Separation, and Electrochemical engineering (CaSE), working under the supervision of Dr. Hanieh Bazyar . As part of this project, you will collaborate closely with Dr. Jouke Dykstra at Wageningen University and with industrial partners from the Dutch food, paper, and chemical sectors.

At the Bazyar Lab, we are driven by the ambition to advance sustainable process engineering through the development of innovative separation materials and technologies. We foster an open, collaborative, and supportive research environment where team members share knowledge, help one another, and receive the guidance and training needed to grow into independent researchers.

In addition to conducting research, you will contribute to education by serving as a teaching assistant in various courses, supervising bachelor thesis projects, and mentoring master's students during their graduation research. Through these activities, you will further develop your leadership, communication, and supervisory skills.

You are motivated to conduct innovative research that supports the transition toward sustainable process engineering. Working at the intersection of electrochemistry and separation technology, you apply strong analytical skills to address…