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Admissions for PhD study in academic year 2023/2024

Director of the Institute of Geotechnics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences opens the admission for joint PhD study with the Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling at Technical University in Kosice in academic year 2023/2024 in the specialization Extraction and Processing of Earth Resources.

Deadline for e-application: June 16, 2023
Interview: June 30, 2023 

Admissions for PhD study – Terms and Conditions for academic year 2023/2024 (download)

New topics of PhD study in academic year 2023/2024

Assessment of the application suitability of TG/DTA/DSC methods to obtain comprehensive information about soil environmental risks in Slovakia

Supervisor: RNDr. Lenka Findoráková, PhD.
The TG/DTA/DSC method application is generally widely used in many scientific disciplines. The acquirement of comprehensive information about the physico-chemical soil condition as well as about added organic materials is a prerequisite for ensuring proper soil management and subsequently reducing the negative impact on the environment due to anthropogenic activity. Based on the green chemistry principle, the simultaneous methods of thermal analysis, should be used to assess in addition to composition also the thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of the analysed soils.

Processing of aluminosilicate minerals to create adsorbents with organofunctional groups for water purification from inorganic and organic pollutants

Supervisor: Dr. Inna Melnyk
Industrial activity has led to the emergence of various types of toxic wastes, including solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes containing organic substances, heavy metals, radionuclides, petroleum products, and other dangerous compounds. The goal of this doctoral thesis is to create and study new nanomaterials with adsorption properties to remove these wastes from the environment. SiO2-based materials with different types of ligands will be developed for selective removal of mixed contaminants. These materials will be derived from natural raw materials, such as aluminosilicates. Their ability to adsorb metal ions and organic contaminants will be investigated.

Mechanochemical synthesis of nanocrystalline metal chalcogenides for efficient energy conversion

Supervisor: RNDr. Matej Baláž, PhD.
Metal chalcogenides (sulfides, selenides, and tellurides) are currently being intensively researched for their broad-spectrum application in materials science. The most important is their application for energy conversion, especially in electrocatalysis (e.g. production of hydrogen by splitting water), in photocatalysis (decomposition of organic pollutants using light), or as thermoelectric materials (transformation of waste heat into electricity). Nanocrystalline metal chalcogenides are usually prepared via complicated, cost-intensive and environmentally burdensome processes. Mechanochemical synthesis using ball milling represents an environmentally acceptable alternative, as nanocrystalline products can be obtained very quickly (sometimes in seconds) in one step from powdered reactants, without the use of solvents, external heating or elevated pressures. Within the proposed PhD. study, selected metal chalcogenides will be mechanochemically prepared and tested in cooperation with institutions at home and abroad for possible use in the processes mentioned above.

Investigation of transport processes in modern energy materials using the electron beam technique

Supervisor: RNDr. Martin Fabián, PhD.
The present time requires the development and research of new materials with primary use in the energy industry, such as Li-ion batteries, fuel cells based on solid oxides, use of hydrogen as an energy source, etc. Most processes are based on electrochemical reactions, where ion transport plays a significant role. However, this process is largely influenced by the microstructure and local chemical composition, often at the atomic level. Grain boundaries, homogeneity of the chemical composition of materials and others play an important role in transport events in the given materials. Based on this, the proposed topic is focused on the investigation of the state of materials before and after the course of electrochemical reactions by applying methods based on the principles of the electron beam (electron microscopy SEM, TEM and identification methods at the local level EDX, WDX). Process research will help to understand and model the composition and structure of smart materials for their potential use in current electrotechnical practice.

Admissions for PhD study in academic year 2022/2023

Director of the Institute of Geotechnics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences opens the 2nd round of admission for joint PhD study with the Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling at Technical University in Kosice in academic year 2022/2023 in the specialization Extraction and Processing of Earth Resources.

Deadline for e-application: August 17, 2022
Interview: August 24, 2022 (IGT SAS or via SKYPE)

Admissions for PhD study – Terms and Conditions for academic year 2022/2023 (download)

New topic of PhD study in academic year 2022/2023

Functional Materials for the Removal and Catalytic Oxidation of Organic Pollutants from Wastewater

Supervisor: Dr. Inna Melnyk
Consultant: Ing. Miroslava Václavíková, PhD.
The intensive industrial activity results in more organic pollutants, heavy metals, radionuclides, petroleum products, and other highly toxic substances enter to the environment in the form of solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes. In this PhD research, new adsorptive and catalytic nanomaterials will be developed for the removal of inorganic and organic wastes from the environment. The adsorbent part will be composed of one-pot synthesized SiO2 materials with different types of functional ligands both hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties in order to interact with pollutants via hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, coordination, and other interactions. These materials will be studied for Fe, Cu, Ni, Co ions adsorption. Metal-loaded silica particles will play a catalyst role to decompose the organic contaminants via advanced oxidation processes.

Video: 4:34 (122MB)