SD-25013 POSTDOC REAC EXTRUSION FOR VITRIMERS DERIVED FROM POSTCONSUMER THERMOPLASTICS

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) active in the fields of materials, environment and IT. By transforming scientific knowledge into technologies, smart data and tools, LIST empowers citizens in their choices, public authorities in their decisions and businesses in their strategies.

Do you want to know more about LIST? Check our website: https://www.list.lu/

You will join the Functional Polymeric and Particulate Materials (FPPM) RDI unit. The FPPM unit addresses the synthesis, formulation and processing of polymers and (nano)particles to achieve specific properties enhancements and multi-functionality through both experimental and numerical approaches. Materials classes of interest include components (monomers, polymers, additives, (nano)particles, etc.) utilized in high-performance polymeric materials with relevance in the mobility, housing, energy and health sectors. The unit pursues funding and carries out research through industrial contracts and competitive projects sponsored at the Luxembourgish and European levels and is organised into two research groups focused on 1) the realisation of sustainable polymeric and particulate materials (SPPM) and 2) the chemistry and physics of smart / responsive polymeric and particulate materials (RPPM).

The present postdoctoral researcher position is integrated into the RPPM research group and is connected to a recently approved funded project entitled “Evolved materials for multifunctional additive manufacturing printers” (EMMA).

The key objectives of the EMMA project are in strong alignment with the environmental objectives of the European Union regarding climate neutrality, plastic recycling, and reducing dependency on fossil fuels. To contribute to these objectives, the EMMA project targets to convert in-field post-use theromplastics into valuable raw materials for high-end applications. The project motivation is based on the current status that, while end-of-life thermoplastics are available, their mechanical properties and functionalities remain limited due to degradation or sorting limitations.

To address this, the EMMA project will develop sustainable post-use thermoplastics , applying chemical modifications through reactive extrusion, utilizing extrusion-based 3D printing, and assessing their environmental impact. EMMA is also part of a larger initiative led by AMSOL, a Luxembourg-based company specialized in advanced manufacturing solutions., addressing challenges in on-site manufacturing and recycling for civilian and defence applications. The broader project focuses on developing a transportable printer, enabling on-demand in-field production and repair using recycled plastics and high-performance materials. By incorporating dynamically crosslinked recycled plastics, the project enhances mechanical properties and introduces self-healing functionalities, reducing logistical challenges and environmental impact.

Your LIST benefits

• An organization with a passion for impact and strong RDI partnerships in Luxembourg and Europe that works on responsible and independent research projects
• Sustainable by design, empowering our belief that we play an essential role in paving the way to a green society
• Innovative infrastructures and exceptional labs occupying more than 5,000 square metres, including innovations in all that we do
• An environment encouraging curiosity, innovation and entrepreneurship in all areas
• Personalized learning programme to foster our staff’s soft and technical skills
• Multicultural and international work environment with more than 50 nationalities represented in our workforce
• Diverse and inclusive work environment empowering our people to fulfil their personal and professional ambitions
• Gender-friendly environment with multiple actions to attract, develop and retain women in science
• 32 days’ paid annual leave, 11 public holidays, 13-month salary, statutory health insurance
• Flexible working hours, home working policy and access to lunch vouchers

Temporary contract | up to 24 months | Belval Are you passionate about research? So are we! Come and join us

How will you contribute?

You will be mainly in charge of:

• Conducting wet chemistry tests to optimize processing conditions, including the use of various catalysts
• Characterizing the novel vitrimers obtained using techniques such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)
• Melt processing: incorporating the dynamic crosslinks into the post-consumer elastomer formulations and vulcanizing the compounds
• Testing the resulting rubber compounds using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Rheology, Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA), Dilatometry, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

Due to the requirements of the project, we can only consider applications from nationals of a NATO Member Country, from an EU EEA/EFTA Country or from one of the following NATO Indo-Pacific Partners, Australia, Japan, Republic of South Korea and New Zealand.

Is Your profile described below? Are you our future colleague? Apply now!

Due to the requirements of the programme/agency, we can only consider applications from nationals of EU member states.

Education

• PhD in polymer/rubber chemistry and/or polymer process engineering

Experience and skills

• Strong background and extensive hands-on experience in organic synthetic chemistry;
• Experience with standard wet- and air-sensitive chemistry techniques;
• Experience in use of modern characterization techniques such as FT-IR, GPC, DSC, TGA;
• Ability to analyse NMR spectra;
• Knowledge of Chemdraw or similar software for drawing and analysing of chemical structures;
• Ability to work creatively and independently, including experience in writing research reports, giving oral talks and performing scientific literature search
• Demonstrated competencies in vitrimer synthesis and rheology will be highly valued;
• Knowledge and experience in polymer processing will be an asset;
• Previous experience in melt modifications will be appreciated;
• Experience in using NMR, GPC, FTIR, DMA, dilatometry, DSC, TGA, or mechanical testing will be considered as an asset;
• Notions in life cycle assessment (LCA) and the safe and sustainable by design framework (SSbD) will be counted as a plus;
• Knowledge of Origin and Excel will be counted as a plus;
• Finally, the selected person should show collaborative skills, initiative, result oriented, organization, and capacity to work as part of an international team, in an interdisciplinary environment.

Language skills

• Good level in both written and spoken English