Monash University PhD Research Scholarship - Polymer Clay Nanocomposites for Environmental Barrier Applications

Excellent opportunity in Green Chemistry at Monash University.

A PhD scholarship is available at Monash University on a joint project between the Department of Civil Engineering and Centre for Green Chemistry, involved in developing advanced clay-based materials suitable for containing hypersaline leachates. The Centre for Green Chemistry at Monash University is the largest research centre in Australia focusing on green chemical solutions for environmentally sustainable processes and products.

This exciting project provides an opportunity to examine an increasingly important environmental engineering problem dealing with the management of highly saline waters. Experience will be gained in several areas covering organic chemistry, in-situ synthesis of polymers within clays and a variety of advanced characterisation techniques for nanocomposites, including synchrotron methods.

The candidate will have strong organic chemistry background with interest in, and ideally experience with, polymerisation reactions. Specific duties will be to:

1. Use organic chemical synthesis techniques to prepare cost-effective alternative cyclic organic carbonates from readily available substrates
2. Examine the in-situ polymerisation of organocarbonate monomers and related species within clays and to and conduct simple tests of intercalation effectiveness
3. Develop and conduct experiments to characterise the nanocomposite layered products formed in terms of chemical stability and chemical structure.

The successful candidate will be collaborating within a team of researchers, involving chemists, materials scientists and geotechnical engineers.

Selection criteria for the PhD scholarship include the following:

• 1^st class honours degree in chemistry, or equivalent
• Experience in organic and polymer chemistry laboratory procedures
• Experience with spectrometric, spectroscopic and analytical methods and physical techniques for characterisation of materials developed
• Acquaintance with aspects of materials characterisation and/or clay and colloid science is desirable.

It is anticipated that the successful applicant will commence by March 2011.

Application:Further infromaion can be obtained from:

Associate Professor Tony Patti, c/- School of Chemistry, Monash University

+61 3 9905 1620 tony.patti@monash.edu

or

Professor Terry Turney. c/- School of Chemistry, Monash University

+61  4 17032516 terry.turney@monash.edu

Please send your CV detailing your qualifications, experience, achievements and names and contact details for two referees to either of the above.