Plasmonic Photocatalysis Postdoctoral Researcher

The Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Aviation and Missile Center (AvMC), located at Redstone Arsenal, AL, is the Army's premier laboratory for developing, testing, and sustaining next generation aviation and missile technologies with specialized scientific and engineering laboratories. Applicants to this opportunity will perform research in a laboratory at a major research university performing basic research in close collaboration with one of AvMC's senior research scientists.

This project will develop and explore novel techniques for the synthesis and use of metal nanoparticles for plasmonic photocatalysis. By using visible and ultraviolet wavelength light sources, the project will assess the extent to which chemical reaction rates and product selectivity can be altered by illumination instead of heat. Of particular interest is the controllable selection of chemical reactions and tailored photocatalysts that can help discern photothermal effects from non-thermal effects such as hot electron transfer and strong local field effects. The project uses mass spectrometry, tunable light sources, thermal imaging and thermocouples, and mass flow controllers in a highly automated experiment and requires significant data analysis to distinguish underlying physical phenomena. This research will be performed at Duke University

This appointment is a twelve-month research appointment, with the possibility to be renewed for additional research periods depending on funding availability, project assignment, program rules, and availability of the participant.

Participants will receive a stipend to be determined by CCDC AvMC. Stipends are typically based on the participant’s academic standing, discipline, experience, and research facility location. Other benefits may include the following:

The participant will not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DOD, or any other office or agency. Instead, the participant will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

Postdoctoral applicants must have a Ph.D. in chemistry or applied physics with an emphasis in nanoparticle synthesis, gas phase catalytic reactions, plasmonics, and familiar with standard characterization methods, including TEM, SEM, XPS, optical spectroscopy etc.