Postdoc position in porous material chemistry

Created in January 2007, the Marcoule Institute in Separation Chemistry (ICSM) is a Joint Research Unit (UMR 5257) between the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the University of Montpellier (UM) and the National Graduate School of Chemistry in Montpellier (ENSCM). ICSM is composed of 3 research axes gathering 8 laboratories working in close collaboration

Context: We are seeking an ambitious and highly motivated chemist (<3 years post-PhD) with a strong expertise in material chemistry. A stimulating academic environment will allow to fully explore her/his research interests during this research project oriented to the development of novel porous materials for environmental remediation. A key requirement during the project is to demonstrate a clear ambition to apply for prestigious grants such as MSCA fellowships and ERC Starting Grants and/or to pursue for a permanent positions at the CNRS or University of Montpellier, with the help of permanent researchers from the consortium. This collaborative project between 3 different institutes, ICSM-CEA-IEM, will be realized at the CEA Marcoule (Gard, France) with occasional missions in Montpellier (Herault, France) for a duration of 18 months.

Salary: 35 k€ annual gross salary + 8 k€ for equipment & travelling. The project is funded through the “TALENTS” program of the PTL CHIMENE of the University of Montpellier (UM contract).

Research project: The proposed project focuses on developing solutions for CO₂ capture using easily formable porous materials with low environmental impact. It aims to form original membrane materials through an innovative approach involving the deposition or a direct growth of highly efficient CO₂-adsorbing porous materials (e.g. MOFs) on selected membrane supports. The key innovation for a controlled MOF formation lies in using a specific reaction medium to eliminate the need for harmful organic solvents and thus foster green chemistry principles. Beyond supported pure MOF membranes, the long-term goal is to extend the process for developing composite membrane materials (e.g., MOF/polymer, MOF/graphene or MOF/zeolite) with diverse properties and function. While the primary application targets CO₂ separation and capture, these membranes could also be explored for water treatment (e.g., pollutant and heavy metal removal), broadening their potential impact on multiple environmental challenges.

Consortium: The research project is a collaborative work between the ICSM (Marcoule Institute in Separation Chemistry), CEA Marcoule (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and the IEM (European Institute for Membranes, University of Montpellier). Each partner brings specific skills to develop this pluridisciplinary project, which will benefit from the renowned and  well-equipped laboratories for the material synthesis and characterization.

(<3 years post-PhD)