PhD position: Development of bio-inspired adhesive and antibacterial nanofilms based on polymers...

Updated: almost 2 years ago
Location: Tremblay en France, LE DE FRANCE
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 20 May 2022

The thesis project will be carried out at the Charles Sadron Institute (ICS) in the framework of a project involving several European partners. The ICS is a global academic player in various fields related to polymers and self-assembled systems, bringing together physicists, chemists, and physical chemists. Structured in seven research teams and four platforms, the institute brings together 53 researchers and teacher-researchers, 38 engineers, technicians, and administrative staff and about 100 PhD students, post-docs, associate researchers, and interns. It has characterization platforms (GPC, light scattering, rheology) and microscopy (electron and atomic force). Supervised by Fouzia Boulmedais, the PhD student will work in the Polyelectrolytes, Complexes and Materials (PECMAT) team of the ICS ,expert in the study of polyelectrolytes in solution and polyelectrolyte and composite nanofilms. He/she will work in a team composed of several PhD and post-doctoral students as well as interns.
For more information, please visit the website: https://www.ics-cnrs.unistra.fr/

Context:
The needs of society in terms of environmental protection, energy, resource-saving, and waste reduction represent new challenges for all fields of industrial production. Many devices are based on combinations of materials assembled via an adhesive interface. Their production often requires energy-intensive processes or the use of hazardous substances. New perspectives for the design of bioinspired and biodegradable adhesives are offered by compounds derived from mussel proteins (dopamine, polydopamine) or plants (polyphenols such as tannic acid). These compounds adhere to virtually all types of surfaces thanks to the chemistry of catechols. The InsBioration project aims to transfer scientific knowledge on these natural adhesive compounds to industrial production. This project will rely on a consortium of 5 European laboratories (German, French, Slovenian, Romanian, and Finnish) and three industrial partners.

Mission:
Within the framework of the project, the engineer/Ph.D. student will develop nanofilms based on polymers modified by catechols, which will be synthesized by the Romanian and Slovenian partners. The nanofilms will be obtained from aqueous solutions at room temperature. Two deposition processes will be used: the layer-by-layer method by alternate deposition of polymers with opposite charges (Langmuir 2015, 31, 12856; ACS App. Mat. Int 2020, 12, 22601) and the electro-crosslinking by applying an electric potential on an electrode (Langmuir 2015, 31, 13385; Mater. Adv. 2022, 3, 2222). The optimization of the nanofilm deposition, their physicochemical characterization as well as their antibacterial properties will be carried out by the engineer/Ph.D. student. The microbiological characterizations will be done in collaboration with the laboratory Biomatériaux et Bioingénierie (Strasbourg).

Activities:
- Prepare aqueous solutions of water-soluble polymers
- Monitor the deposition of the nanofilms by quartz crystal microbalance, ellipsometry, and infrared spectroscopy
- Characterize the surface topography of the nanofilms by atomic force microscopy
- Characterize the antibacterial properties of the films in microbiology
- Interprete and exploit the results, present in English on oral or written forms

Knowledge:
- Good knowledge of chemistry and physical chemistry of polymers
- Strong taste for experimental work
- Ease in the scientific communication of results
- Sense of organization and teamwork
- Level in english B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- No knowledge of biology or electrochemistry is required
- Open-mindedness and curiosity

The application file should contain:
(1) a CV with the contact details of two or three people who can give a motivated opinion on the candidate
(2) the grades of bachelor, M1, and M2 master
(3) a letter of motivation describing the interest of the candidate for an engineer position or thesis



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