M/F: Post-doctorat in polymer processing, physical-chemistry and characterization of polymers

- Elaborate nanofibrous composite materials by the electrospinning technique.
- Study the process and formulation parameters allowing to modulate the pore size of nanofibrous mats.
- Develop multiple electrospinning strategies to elaborate composite mats aiming at obtaining a pore size gradient of the mats.
- Implement physical post-processing strategies to reduce the pore size of the mats.
- Modify and optimize an electrospinning process on a pilot scale representative of an industrial production system.
- Characterize the structure (SEM, TEM, TEM-3D) and the mechanical properties of the elaborated materials.
- Study and analyze the micro-nanostructure/properties relationships.
- Write publications and patents.
The work will be done within the framework of a project with the company MICHELIN in which physical-chemists, physicists and polymer processing specialists work in close collaboration. The candidate will interact with other people involved in the project and in particular with a PhD student who is also assigned to the project.

The aim is to develop a strategy based on the electrospinning process to elaborate a nanofibrous mat of a few tens of µm thickness with open porosity and a controlled pore size gradient for energy-related applications. In addition, a pilot scale electrospinning process representative of an industrial production system will be developed and studied in the framework of this project.

The work will be carried out at the Institute of Chemistry and Processes for Energy, Environment and Health (ICPEES UMR7515) as part of a collaborative project with MICHELIN company.
The ICPEES is a joint research unit between the CNRS and the University of Strasbourg, with 150 people working in the fields of chemistry, materials and processes for applications related to energy, environment and health. The ICPEES research team involved in the project has been developing expertise in the synthesis and characterization of nanofibrous materials via the electrospinning process for over 10 years. The research aims at i) controlling the structuring of fibrous membranes, ii) developing eco-friendly strategies using only water as solvent and finally iii) functionalizing nanofibers for various applications such as biomedical, filtration or energy. The team has access to all the ICPEES resources (SEM, XPS, rheology, mechanical tests, electrical characterizations, surface property measurements, BET, etc…) to characterize the materials.
MICHELIN places innovation at the heart of its strategy, with a 2020 R&D budget of nearly €646 million, 10700 active patents, and 6000 people working in the field, including 3400 at the Ladoux site in France. The MICHELIN Group is undergoing a major transformation to contribute to innovation in the field of low environmental footprint materials and high-tech materials. The objectives are to make offerings and mobility more efficient and sustainable with new technologies, bio-based and recycled materials, zero-emission solutions as well as to position itself on new high-potential profitable growth markets such as flexible composites, medical applications, 3D metal printing and hydrogen mobility.