General Information

Institution: Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Low Temperature and Structural Research, Polish Academy of Sciences

Position: PhD student – scholarship holder in the NCN research project

Scientific discipline: Chemical sciences

Date of announcement: 05.08.2025

Application deadline: 04.09.2025

Online interview date: 12-19.09.2025

Date of competition settlement: Recruitment results will be announced within 7 days after the end of the interviews.

Planned date of commencement of education and participation in the project: 01.10.2025

Link to WDS IPAS website: https://www.intibs.pl/en/for-students/doctoral-school.html      

Link to ILTSR PAS website: https://www.intibs.pl/en

Keywords: heterogeneous catalysis, hierarchical catalysts, carbon dioxide hydrogenation, smart nanomaterials, thermally-programmed methods, electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), in situ/operando methods

Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences (WDS IPAS) announces a special recruitment for a PhD student – scholarship holder in the research project: "Smart multicomponent catalysts for CO₂ valorization applications”, carried out on behalf of the National Science Center SONATA 19 (grant no. 2023/51/D/ST4/00339) in the Division of Nanomaterials Chemistry and Catalysis of the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Wroclaw.

Recruitment is conducted in accordance with the Rules of Recruitment to the Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences https://www.intibs.pl/en/for-students/rules-of-recruitment.html

Requirements for the candidate

The application should include a filled application form at the link  https://www.intibs.pl/en/for-students/rules-of-recruitment.html and presented in Polish or English:

• diplomas: matriculation or higher secondary school certificate, Bachelor’s (engineering), Master's Degree diploma in chemistry, Physics, material engineering or related disciplines or an equivalent certificate of graduation, legalized according to the Rules of Recruitment.*
• a duplicate (certified copy) of the entire grade book/Transcript of Records of the first- and second-cycle program (or full-cycle Master’s degree program), or a supplement to the degree with grades from the entire course of study, or a student’s grading report from all years of their studies confirmed by the Dean’s Office, together with the calculated average grade from their studies, but the supplement (transcript) to the Master degree should be legalized according to the Rules of Recruitment *;

* In the case of obtaining a professional title MSc outside the European Union - additionally originals of MSc diploma and its transcript with grades, both certified with an apostille or authenticating (legalization) in the diplomatic representation of the Republic of Poland (in that country). Documents submitted without proper authentication will be considered as not meeting formal requirements.

• a certificate of English-language skills at B2 level or higher or information in the diploma supplement that the candidate completed an English course at the required level as part of the university program (if the supplement does not describe the level of the course, a certificate from the Dean’s Office is required; the certificate is not required from citizens of countries where English is the official language or English was the language of instruction during the implementation of the study program (Bachelor's, Master's or double-degree),
• a cover letter with an indication of the research topics within the framework of the research project;
• additional documents proving the candidate's suitability for scientific work (list of publications and conference presentations, list of completed courses and postgraduate studies, obtained language certificates, activity in scientific circles, and activities popularizing science, etc.).

Doctoral Student Responsibilities

• Synthesis of hierarchical catalysts with designed morphology and structure;
• Comprehensive characterization of synthesized materials using ex-situ and in situ methods;
• Analysis and interpretation of obtained data;
• Preparing reports and publications in collaboration with other members of the research team.

Scholarship

The doctoral student will receive a doctoral scholarship for a maximum period of 4 years in the following monthly amounts:

• PLN 5,000.00 until the month in which the mid-term evaluation of the doctoral student at the doctoral school is conducted (the amount will be reduced by the costs of mandatory social security contributions, etc., approximately 24%),
• In an amount not lower than that specified in the Act on Higher Education and Science and the applicable executive regulations, after the month in which the mid-term evaluation of the doctoral student at the doctoral school is conducted (the amount will be reduced by the costs of mandatory social security contributions, etc., approximately 11%).

The scholarship will be paid after deduction of all components, in accordance with the applicable regulations and in accordance with the Act of 20 July 2018 Law on Higher Education and Science (Journal of Laws of 2024, item 1571 ct. 2024.10.24).

Joining the competition

Candidates wishing to enter the competition should submit all documents specified in the Rules of Recruitment to the Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences  

https://www.intibs.pl/en/for-students/rules-of-recruitment.html

Candidates' applications for admission to the School must be submitted by 04.09.2025

• by email to the address (preferred method of application); however, the original documents should be delivered before the studies start (a failure to meet this requirement will result in the candidate’s name being removed from the list of doctoral students),
• in person at the School’s Secretariat Office at the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Okólna Street 2, Wrocław, Poland; from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Description of the research project and the PhD thesis

Supervisor: Prof. Leszek Kępiński, Auxiliary supervisor: Dr. Karolina Ledwa

The proposed doctoral project addresses the pressing global issue of mitigating atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, focusing on its thermochemical conversion to valuable chemicals such as alcohols or hydrocarbons. Given the inherent thermodynamic stability of CO₂ and the persistent limitations of current catalytic systems (including poor selectivity and rapid deactivation) the development of efficient, selective, and stable catalysts remains a major scientific and technological challenge.

The central aim of the project is to design and synthesize a new generation of nanostructured heterogeneous catalysts featuring a hierarchical architecture, tailored explicitly for CO₂ hydrogenation. These catalysts will be based on alumina supports with controlled morphology, grafted with ceria nanoparticles doped with catalytically active metals. The chemical composition, size, and distribution of the active phase particles on the support will be meticulously engineered to optimize the catalysts’ activity, selectivity, and long-term stability. A key innovation lies in the incorporation of self-regenerative functionalities within the active phase, which are expected to enhance catalyst durability under reaction conditions.

To elucidate structure–activity relationships, the obtained materials will be in-depth characterized using advanced techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and gas adsorption-based methods. Particular emphasis will be placed on the use of in situ techniques (e.g., in situ DRIFTS, in situ TEM), which enable the monitoring of the structural and chemical evolution of catalysts under real reaction conditions.

Additional information

For additional information, please contact the project manager Dr. Karolina Ledwa ().

Personal information

Candidates' personal data are collected and processed by the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław in accordance with the information on personal data processing available at https://bip.intibs.pl/artykuly/rodo-1