Postdoc Positions

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

Offer Description

Context : The e CP project (Electrothermal Chemical Processes) [1] addresses a major energy-transition challenge: reducing CO₂ emissions from high-temperature chemical processes, a large share of industrial energy use. Key processes—methane steam reforming, naphtha steam cracking, and propane dehydrogenation—run at 600–900 °C and rely on fossil-fuel combustion, producing hundreds of millions of tons of CO₂ annually. Meeting 2030–2050 climate targets requires redesigning these systems. e CP proposes replacing fossil heat with decarbonized electricity via a new reactor: the Electrified Bubbling Fluidized Bed Reactor (EBFBR). Using the Joule effect, it generates heat directly within the catalyst bed. Conductive materials (graphene, conductive SiC, and composites) both drive reactions and distribute heat, reducing losses, improving stability, and enabling compact, flexible operation. A prototype at ENSICAEN demonstrated feasibility, achieving a stable 800 °C with under 200 W. Building on this proof of concept, the project proposes a research program to confirm the potential of the technology, one of whose key areas (the subject of this postdoctoral position) is to design and develop innovative materials combining catalytic efficiency, electrical conductivity, and mechanical strength, in the form of composite granules based on catalysts and graphene/SiC. The consortium brings together six French laboratories (LCS, GREYC, UCEIV, IRCER, Pprime, LRGP) with complementary expertise (materials chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis, electrical and thermal engineering, Multiphysics modelling, process engineering), along with a major industrial partner totalEnergies.

Objective: To design, formulate, shape, and optimize granular composite (catalytic) materials that combine electrical conductivity, mechanical robustness, and fluidizability for EBFBR. Composite formulation and processing routes (e.g., mixed formulation, granulation, sintering) will be investigated. The materials will be evaluated with respect to their electrothermal behavior, physico-chemical catalytic properties, mechanical resistance.

Description : It targets the optimization of granular materials for thermal reactions, based on graphene (abrasion resistant GRA-20X from Matexcel, σ = 10+6 S/m) and SiSiC (CarSIK® from Schunk, 10-15vol.% free Si, σ = 10+3 S/m) electrically conductive materials, and N or P doped-SiC semiconductors [2,3]. The study combines formulation and shaping of particles at controlled granulometry, to ensure mechanical stability and fluidization performance, with adapted electrical conductivity. Shaping into granules with a distribution in a narrow size range on an average value varying from 100 to 500 mm will be studied using two granulation procedures, and studying mechanical reinforcement: - dry process, in rotating drum with spraying of an aqueous binder solution by varying: drum filling rate, speed and rotation time of the powder bed, binder concentration (cellulose, starch, etc…) - atomization-drying with either evaporation or freezing/freeze-drying of the solvent.37,38 Formulation parameters (dry matter, additives (PVA, PEG, copolymers) and binder contents) will be studied [4,5]. - high-temperature consolidation cycle will be optimized to maximize attrition resistance. Pure graphene, pure conductive SiSiC, pure N/P-doped SiC, and mixed graphene/SiC-based formulations will be considered for both granulation methods; core (SiC) / shell (graphene) granules may complete the material range applying co-granulation technique. Objective of formulation is to adjust mechanical stability and conductivity.

References

• 1. https://www.pepr-spleen.fr/projet/projet-e-cp/
• 2. Renda et al. Catal. Today 2022, 383, 31–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2020.11.020
• 3. Zheng, L. et al. Chem. Eng. J. 2023, 466, 143154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.143154
• 4. La Lumia et al. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 2020, 103 (5), 3020–3029. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.17005

Where to apply

Website: https://www.unilim.fr/recrutement-post-doctorant-electrothermal-chemical-processes/

Requirements

Research Field: Chemistry

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

The candidate, holding a PhD, should demonstrate knowledge of ceramic shaping via colloidal processing, in multidisciplinary areas (suspension formulation, rheological properties of suspensions), as well as the ability to work in a laboratory to obtain experimental results. A solid command of experimental concepts and of fundamental tools for the characterization of powdered materials is strongly recommended for this project.

Languages: ENGLISH

Level: Excellent

Research Field: Chemistry

Years of Research Experience: 1 - 4

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

According to French legislation, the applicant must have received a PhD degree no later than three years before the beginning of the contract

Selection process

CV, cover letter and copy of PhD degree to be sent by email mentioning reference of job offer at : drh-recrutement-recherche@unilim.fr

Any application submitted without a diploma will be considered inadmissible.

Additional comments

The institute of research for ceramics – IRCER – is devoted to the the study and development of innovative ceramic processes. Located in the heart of France, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, IRCER innovates in the development of very high-tech ceramics to meet new industrial and societal challenges (energy, information and communication technologies, health, eco-materials…).
https://www.ircer.fr/

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: IRCER
• Country: France
• City: Limoges
• Postal Code: 87000
• Street: 12 rue Atlantis

Contact

• City: Limoges
• Website: https://www.unilim.fr/recrutement-post-doctorant-electrothermal-chemical-processes/
• Street: 33 Rue François Mitterrand
• Postal Code: 87000
• E-Mail: drh-recrutement-recherche@unilim.fr