The Laboratory for Interface Science: Printable Electronic Materials (LISPEM) and the newly formed Energy Frontier Research Center on Soft PhotoElectroChemical Systems (SPECS; specs.arizona.edu), under the direction of Prof. Erin Ratcliff in the Departments of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arizona (ratcliff.faculty.arizona.edu) seeks two motivated postdocs to study in-situ electrochemistry of conductive polymers, which includes applications to solar fuels, catalsysis/photoelectrochemistry, capacitors/batteries, and emerging sensing applications based on organic electrochemical transistors.

The SPECS EFRC offers an enthusiastic, cohesive environment to do team-based science, with partners at a number of institutions and national laboratories. A background in organic materials is not required! Rather, we are looking for strong candidates in fundamentals of spectroelectrochemistry and an interest in working in teams. Strong communication skills are a must.

Both positions offer exciting opportunities to combine fundamentals of spectroscopy and/or microscopy and electrochemistry applications to understand next-generation materials systems.

One area of interest will focus on understanding fundamental transport properties of conductive polymer systems in high dielectric environments. The second area of interest will focus on unique properties of photoelectrochemical systems of donors and acceptors, towards photo-generated hydrogen production. In both areas, the aim it to develop mechanistic insights and new physiochemical models that allow chemistry to effectively drive the search for new materials and enhance the understanding of the fundamental structure-property relationships at electrochemically reactive interfaces in applications such as electro- and photocatalysis, photoelectrochemical cells, energy storage systems, sensors, as well as flexible solar and display technologies. Candidates will be responsible for device construction, experimental design, in-situ electrochemical testing, and subsequent interpretation of electrochemical performance to understand electrochemical kinetics and transport processes.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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In general, LISPEM focuses on the use of a diverse characterization toolbox across spatiotemporal scales to study interface phenomena to better understand interconnected chemical-electronic-physical structure-property relationships in state-of-the art and next generation energy conversion and storage devices. LISPEM is a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary group centered around understanding interfacial charge transfer and charge/ion transport in printable semiconductive materials. Recent work and developments are found in Science (10.1126/science.abj2637), Materials Horizons (10.1039/D1MH01306H), Energy and Environmental Science (10.1039/D1EE01525G), ACS Nano (10.1021/acsnano.9b06302) ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces (10.1021/acsami.1c12321), Chemistry of Materials (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.chemmater.2c02831) and ACS Energy Letters (10.1021/acsenergylett.0c01445).

The postdoctoral scholar will take an important role in setting up a combined electrochemical and spectroscopy capabilities, which will include the use, data interpretation, and technique development of a macroscale operando electrochemical approach to assess charge and matter transport processes at femtosecond-to-minute timescales, occurring at atomic-to-meso length scales in durable soft materials. Nanoscale electrochemical approaches to understand the role of local heterogeneity and microenvironments on the performance of materials will require the use of a scanning electrochemical cell microscopy technique available in the PI's laboratory.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The two postdoctoral scholars will be expected to have an understanding of electrochemical processes and diagnostics of electrochemical devices, such as but not limited to:

• Approaches to understand hybrid electrical-ionic transport in organic semiconductor systems
• Diffusion limiting current measurements
• Kinetic measurement and knowledge of electrochemical kinetic models
• Knowledge of electrolyte/electrocatalysis interfaces
• Familiarity with operating principles of optoelectronics

Candidates should be interested in multimodal (multiple characterization tool) approaches to understand complicated chemical-electronic-physical structure-property relationships of electrochemically-active semiconducting materials in the PI's laboratory, across PIs within the SPECS EFRC, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Example characterization tools include, but not limited to UV-vis, Raman, IR, photoelectron spectroscopies, grazing-incidence based X-ray diffraction and near-field optical microscopies on the micron scale, sometimes in combination with electrochemical techniques. Other approaches include solution processing relevant to thin film manufacturing, such as spin coating, blade coating, and roll-to-roll coating available in the PI's laboratory.

Relevant skills can include but not limited to electrochemical techniques (cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, rotating disk electrode, battery material characterization), spectroelectrochemical techniques in the visible and/or near-infrared, photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning probe techniques, microstructure, and/or synchrotron-based methods.

The postdocs are expected to actively participate in the dissemination of research findings through weekly meetings with the PI and other group members, interact with LISPEM collaborators from academia and national laboratories, author monthly reports, publish in top journals, and aid in the training of graduate and undergraduate students.

• Candidates must hold a PhD in chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, materials science (or similar field) upon hire, with a strong background in electrochemical and spectroscopic methods.

• Experience in multiple length scales in surface science and electrochemistry data interpretation, including fundamental molecular understanding of the role of electrolyte and semiconductor interfaces.
• Experience with printable electronic materials, including pi-conjugated polymers.
• Experience in soft materials.
• Experience with organic semiconductors, either in electrochemistry and/or under light and dark conditions, as it applies to solar fuels and/or (photo)catalysis
• Experience communicating results effectively; verbally through periodical meetings and in writing through reporting
• Experience in molecular-based systems, including tethered molecular materials on metal oxide supports