M2 internship, February to July 2025 in Grenoble
Summary
Devices such as touch screens, light sensors or solar cells contain transparent electrodes made of indium-tin oxide (ITO), that must be replaced because of brittleness and indium scarcity. The most promising alternative today is a thin network of long silver nanowires [1]. This new technology requires a high control on the nanowire synthesis and deposition process, as well as a strategy to prevent ageing due to shape changes or oxidation. Silver nanostructures also happen to perform well as catalyst of CO2 electroreduction in electrolysers [2].

In this internship, we will focus on the synthesis of silver nanowires, with optimizing their size (diameter and length), then depositing by spray technique to control the density of the film. The films will be characterized by SEM, optical and electrical tests. The study will focus on understanding and improving the stability over time, using protection layers by ALD.
Finally, the transparent electrodes will be tested in infrared sensors In collaboration with a neighboring team. In parallel, the study will optimize thick silver nanowire films on porous electrodes used in a CO2 electrolyser.
The student will work in two neighboring laboratories, SYMMES (a lab of CEA Grenoble) and LMGP (a lab of Grenoble INP) on the western Grenoble campus. He/she will be supervised daily by a PhD student working on CO2 capture and reduction. Once trained, she/he will grow the silver nanowires, proceed to spray deposition and characterize the films in autonomy. ALD deposition and integration into devices, including electrochemical tests, will be realized during the internship in collaboration.
Related Publications
1. L. Bardet, D. Bellet et al., SnO2-Coated Silver Nanowire Networks as a Physical Model Describing Their Reversible Domain under Electrical Stress for Stable Transparent Electrode Applications, ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2023, 6, 15234, 10.1021/acsanm.3c03008
2. M. de J. Gálvez-Vázquez, M. Arenz et al. Testing a Silver Nanowire Catalyst for the Selective CO₂ Reduction in a Gas Diffusion Electrode Half-Cell Setup Enabling High Mass Transport Conditions. CHIMIA 2019, 73 (11), 922–922. doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2019.922
Background and skills expected
We are looking for a master student with chemistry, materials science and/or physics skills and strong interest in new technologies of energy. The student should speak English comfortably.
Competences that will be acquired during the internship
Nanomaterial synthesis and handling, spray, electron microscopy, electrical measurements, work in collaboration
Supervisor(s) : Daniel Bellet and Pascale Chenevier Laboratory : LMGP and SYMMES
Web-page : https://lmgp.grenoble-inp.fr/fr/annuaire/m-bellet-daniel
Send Motivation letter and Vitae to: ola.bajouk@cea.fr