The Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt -DLR) in Stuttgart, with further research facilities in Cologne, Ulm, Oldenburg and Hamburg, does research in the field of efficient energy storage systems that conserve natural resources, and next generation energy conversion technologies with a staff of 180 scientific and technical employees, engineers and doctoral candidates. The spectrum of activities ranges from theoretical studies to laboratory work for basic research and to the operation of pilot plants. These experimental and theoretical studies are accompanied by systems analysis studies to analyse the associated technological, environmental and economic potential and situate it in a larger overall context of the energy economy by means of scenarios. A tight network with the University of Stuttgart -especially with the Institute of Energy Storage- and with the Helmholtz Institute Ulm at the University of Ulm is existing.

We are looking for a motivated master student in the areas of material science, chemistry, electrochemistry or any relevant fields to work for a master thesis in the group of High Temperature Cells and Stacks in the department of Electrochemical Energy Technology, Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics at DLR e. V. Our group is dedicated to research and development of high-temperature electrochemical cells such as Solid Oxide Cells (SOC) and Proton Conducting Ceramic Cells (PCC). SOC and PCC are promising technologies to achieve highly efficient energy conversion from renewable energy sources, of which applications range from high temperature fuel cells to electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen and chemicals.

The master work will be pursued under the project 112CO2, which aims to develop science and technology for low temperature methane decomposition reaction, enabling to produce carbon oxides-free hydrogen from natural gas, biogas and synthetic methane. The mission of our team is to develop electrochemical hydrogen pumping cells made of PCC in a metal supported architecture, that purifies decomposed hydrogen from methane.

Your work focuses on the development of cermet hydrogen electrodes to split the produced hydrogen into protons in the hydrogen pumping cells. To optimize the electrochemical performance and to minimize the coking risk of the methane in the gas mixture, the microstructure and the material compositions of the electrode are crucial. The master work includes engineering the electrode microstructure and composition and studying the electrochemical performance in the form of electrode supported cells.