Project: Computational modelling of desalination process using polyelectrolyte hydrogels
Research group: Soft Matter
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When polyelectrolyte hydrogel is put into contact with aqueous salt solution, it pulls in the counterions and pushes out the coions. Recently it was shown that this phenomenon can be utilized in seawater desalination. The project main goal is to study this phenomenon theoretically and to model different possible applications to the desalination problem.
The project will be based on the methodologies described in DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2018.05.002 and DOI: 10.1039/C6SM02825J. The task of the student will be to extend the published simulation studies to the case of hydrogel interacting with multivalent salt solutions and to the case of hydrophobic and/or thermosensitive hydrogels. The student may be involved also to the experimental studies of the desalination using hydrogels.
Profile of an ideal candidate: MSc or equivalent degree in Chemistry, Physics or a related field (required), working communication skills in English, background in statistical mechanics, molecular simulations, computer programming and Unix-like operating systems.
Deadline is closed