2 Doctoral Candidate Positions for ALL-CELL Project at Aalto University, Finland. The Department of Forest Products Technology is seeking to hire two doctoral candidates from the beginning of year 2016. Their work will take place in two projects within the Finnish Distinguished Professor grant awarded to professor Tatiana Budtova from the Centre for Materials Forming (CEMEF) of Mines ParisTech, France.
The aim is to develop all-cellulose composites topic in Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, department of the Forest Products Technology. The project will be performed in close collaboration between Aalto University, large Finnish pulp and paper companies and SMEs.
The overall goal of the ALL-CELL project is to use the eco-design approach to prepare all-cellulose composites and nano-composites using various types of cellulose fibres, from wood fibres “as is”, pulp and paper and textile waste to man-made cellulose fibres and nanocellulose for making new mechanically strong biobased materials. New generation of “green” cellulose solvents, such as ionic liquids that have high cellulose and lignin dissolution capability, will be used. They are easy-to-handle and exhibit low vapour pressure.
Work type: Two dissertation topics are as follows:
One will be devoted to the development of ultra-strong all-cellulose composites.
The second will concern the preparation of ultra-light (aerogels) all-cellulose composites.
In both topics, the work will include experimental formulation of all-cellulose composites, characterisation of the materials obtained on micro and macro level, understanding the correlations between process parameters and material properties and functionalisation of fibres and composites.
The main part of ALL-CELL project will be carried out at the Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, Department of the Forest Products Technology, Biorefineries Research Group. Department laboratories are equipped for the preparation, pre-treatment and fractionation of any type of lignocellulosic material and all relevant methods for the analytical characterization of polymers are available.
Students will also be able to perform research (about 15% of time) in the Centre for Materials Forming (CEMEF) of Mines ParisTech, Sophia-Antipolis, France. CEMEF is recognised for its strong background in polymer processing and rheology, research on cellulose and mechanical characterisation of polymers. CEMEF is an expert in the development of biomass-based materials, in particular, of bio-aerogels based on cellulose and pectin.
Research Fields: Engineering – Materials Engineering, Chemical engineering
Application deadline: 01 Dec 2015