Three-years PhD position in Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Material Science: Development of porous hybrid materials for the storage and transport of natural gas

RESEARCHER PROFILE: PhD / R1: First stage Researcher                 
RESEARCH FIELD(S)1: Chemistry
MAIN SUB RESEARCH FIELD OR DISCIPLINES1: Polymer chemistry, Organic chemistry

JOB /OFFER DESCRIPTION 
Today, we face multiple environmental and socio-economic challenges such as climate change, urban pollution, the depletion of fossil resources, and rising prices. Natural gas (NG), primarily composed of methane, is considered a relatively clean fuel that significantly improves air quality, reduces CO2 emissions, and decreases dependency on oil. Furthermore, NG is more evenly distributed worldwide, has a higher calorific value, and emits less CO2 compared to coal and oil. However, due to its low density, storage and transportation remain challenging and costly without pipelines. Therefore, the adsorption of NG (ANG) in porous materials at ambient temperature and relatively low pressures is an attractive alternative solution for the transport and storage of NG, biomethane, and onboard applications. Considering the limited capacity of current porous adsorbents (zeolites, activated carbons, MOFs, and COPs), the development of new efficient adsorbents for ANG technology is highly desired. This is the context of the proposed thesis, whose main objective will be to design, prepare, and characterize hybrid covalent organic polymer (hybrid-COP) materials for the storage and transport of natural gas.….

This thesis work is part of the ANR "ANGSTROEM" project in collaboration with the MADIREL laboratory (Aix-Marseille Université), LIPhy (Université Grenoble-Alpes), and SIMaP (Grenoble INP). 

TYPE OF CONTRACT: TEMPORARY / JOB STATUS: FULL /HOURS PER WEEK: 35
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 30/06/2025 & TIME 12:00 
ENVISAGED STARTING DATE: 01/10/2025
ENVISAGED DURATION: 36 months

WORK LOCATION(S): ICR - CROPS and CMO teams, Avenue Escadrille Normandie Niemen, UFR Sciences – Site Saint Jérôme, 13013 MARSEILLE, France

WHAT WE OFFER: 2200 euros gross/month

Additional information: The Euraxess Center of Aix-Marseille Université informs foreign visiting professors, researchers, postdoc and PhD candidates about the administrative steps to be undertaken prior to arrival at AMU and the various practical formalities to be completed once in France: visas and entry requirements, insurance, help finding accommodation, support in opening a bank account, etc. More information on AMU EURAXESS Portal 

QUALIFICATIONS, REQUIRED RESEARCH FIELDS, REQUIRED EDUCATION LEVEL, PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, OTHER RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS 
The ideal candidate should hold a master’s degree or an engineering degree in materials science with solid experience in organic chemistry and strong proficiency in analytical tools (NMR, TGA, DSC, CES, etc.). 

Soft skills: The candidate must be curious, motivated, and dynamic, autonomous in the laboratory, and capable of presenting their research results during meetings with various consortium partners. Strong organizational skills, commitment to deliverables, interpersonal abilities, and a critical mindset will be particularly valued for the successful completion of this project.

HOW TO APPLY: eric.besson@univ-amu.fr