This is a unique opportunity for Bachelor and master students who are about to write their thesis to join The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany for up to 8 months to conduct their research and write their thesis regarding specific topics provided by the institute.
KIT invites applications for students writing their masters or bachelor theses in a variety of research areas within Mechanical Engineering including Li-Ion battery production, microchip design, and uranium removal, and many more. The period ranges from 3 months to 8 months. You will also get the opportunity to publish your research findings in top-notch peer reviewed journals as part of the project.
Below we provide you with each thesis topic a brief description, the organizational unit (OU), and deadline for application with the direct link for application and further info about the project. Don't waste this opportunity!
OU: Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS)
Project Summary:
The thesis aims to assess the sustainability of Lithium-ion battery production and its value chain in Europe, using a system dynamics approach. The goal is to identify potential disruptions or changes that could impact production. This research is a collaboration between KIT's POLIS Cluster of Excellence, specializing in resources and battery production, and the Technical Research Center Finland (VTT), with expertise in system dynamics.
In particular, the work comprises the following tasks:
Review of existing publications on Material Flow and Life cycle Assessment studies for Lithium-ion batteries
Identification of important actors and processes along the value chain
Analysis of energy and materials flow analysis within a system dynamics approach
Quantification material and energy flows in the corresponding model
Development of sensitivity analyses.
Critical reflection of the outcomes
Application Deadline: up to 30.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
The objective of this Master project is to design and test a protoype for a robotic manipulator that can operate with high accuracy, reliability, and speed inside of an MRI scanner.
The project will develop in three phases:
Develop and model a kinematic for a robotic arm that can be operated in the confines of an MRI magnet
Design and build a prototype initially for operation outside the magnet; characterize its performance
Design and build a final version, and demonstrate operation in anactive MRI system.
Application Deadline: up to 30.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
The objective of this Master project is to develop and implement a multisample analysis capability for AIM by NMR, allowing for simultaneous and detailed monitoring of life processes in multiple in vitro models.
The project will develop in three phases:
Develop and produce a microfluidic insert that integrates with commonly used biological culturing platforms.
Design and build a prototype of the insert injector system for integration into an NMR spectrometer.
Conduct a proof-of-concept study to showcase the high-throughput capabilities of the system within an NMR spectrometer environment.
Application Deadline: Up to 30.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
To achieve a significant system cooling power requires optimization across various aspects, including regenerator structures, system design, and operating parameters. Numerical modelling of active elastocaloric regenerators (AERs) is a powerful means to predicate the parameters of a cooling system and to guide the system design. In previous work, a 1D numerical model of AERs has been developed based on superelastic Ni-Ti alloys. The present work intends to extend the model to various porous structures and to include the other potential factors, such as hysteresis. The focus is on improving the existing model to optimize the operating parameters of the cooling system, including frequency, mass flow rate, porosity, and cooling performance evaluation.
Application Deadline: Up to 30.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) makes it possible to image the topography of nano- and microstructures. However, undercuts and overhangs are often not detectable. The aim of this project is to design, build and test a rotation and tilt stage that enables measurement objects to be scanned from multiple angles and the measurement results to be compiled in analysis software. The stage can be manufactured from 3D printed parts.
Application Deadline: Up to 18.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
Photothermal off-resonance tapping got introduced recently as a fast and gentle atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging mode for soft samples (e.g proteins). Now this imaging mode is extended for the acquisition of correlated topography and nanomechanical sample properties. Experiments revealed effects of the excitation laser spot position and excitation frequency on the obtained sample stiffness. The main goal of this project will be to create, implement and analyse thermo-mechanical models using finite-element or analytical methods to understand and compensate these effects.
Application Deadline: Up to 18.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
The aim of this Bachelor/Master thesis is to develop and characterize SMA-based micro-actuators using cleanroom techniques. The following tasks are to be dealt with:
Computer-aided Design (CAD) and numerical simulation of the components with the help of multi-physics simulation tools
Characterization of SMA material properties (structure, mechanical, thermal)
Fabrication of devices by means of relevant semiconductor process techniques (such as electron beam lithography (e-beam), reactive ion etching (RIE))
In-situ SEM characterization of the fabricated devices
Application Deadline: Up to 17.10.2024
OU: Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
Project Summary:
The search for energy-efficient, ’green’ alternatives has recently lead to increased interest in solid-state cooling based on caloric effects. Among these, the elastocaloric effect in shape memory alloys exhibits particularly high temperature changes and material-level coefficients of performance (COP) exceeding 80% of the thermodynamic maximum. Shape memory alloys belong to the class of smart materials showing heat absorption, heat generation, actuation and sensing. The goal will be to explore the potential of the elastocaloric effect in these materials for small-scale or ’microcooling’ applications, making use of shape memory films. Although this thesis is targeted at miniature scale cooling, it may also be used for larger scales in parallel architectures.
Application Deadline: Up to 16.10.2024
OU: Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology (IAMT)
Project Summary:
This project aims to evaluate the removal of uranium from real water sources during field experiments using a mobile pilot-scale PV-NF system.
Specific project tasks will include:
Conduct field-based experiments for the removal of uranium from water using a pilot-scale photovoltaic-powered nanofiltration system.
Collect water samples for water analysis using IAMT facilities, including uranium analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Analyse experimental data and contribute to writing a joint research publication (in English).
Application Deadline: 21.09.2024
10.Master Thesis: Removal of pesticides from water using membrane filtration – magnetic ion exchange
OU: Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology (IAMT)
Project Summary:
This Master’s project relates to an ongoing research project at IAMT in the area of organophosphorus pesticide removal by hybrid systems based on magnetic ion exchange resins with membrane techniques.
The aim of this project is to develop a hybrid experimental protocol based on magnetic ion exchange resins with membrane techniques for organophosphorus pesticide removal.
Specific project tasks are:
Literature review on the topic (occurrence of organophosphorus pesticides in surface waters, GLY and AMPA properties, etc.),
Performing filtration experiments and assisting in quantifying trace amounts of GLY and AMPA in water samples,
Analyzing experimental data, writing/co-authoring a research publication (in English), and taking part in IAMT team activities.
Application Deadline: 21.09.2024
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