Project description

Third-cycle subject: Chemistry

We are seeking a PhD student to join a research project investigating radiation-induced processes at oxideaqueous interfaces, a topic of central importance to the safety and performance of nuclear energy systems. Ionising radiation drives complex chemical reactions at the interfaces between water and oxide materials, influencing corrosion, radionuclide release, and long-term barrier stability across the nuclear fuel cycle. Despite their significance, these interfacial processes remain poorly understood at the molecular level. The project combines the development of novel in situ experimental methodologies with mechanistic studies of adsorption, dissolution, and related surface reactions under irradiation, using primarily surface-sensitive vibrational spectroscopy techniques that include sum frequency generation and total internal reflection (TIR) Raman. The goal is to identify reactive intermediates,...