Postdoctoral Position On Sustainable Carbon Materials For Low Viscous Elastomer Composites (FMD)

Saarbrücken - Germany

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: 21 days ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

The INM research group Structure Formation is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to work on sustainable carbon materials derived from plastic waste within MaterialNeutral a newly funded German research initiative.

Project Description:

Carbon black is an indispensable component of numerous everyday products from car tires and seals to paints and plastics. However its production is almost entirely based on petroleum is energy-intensive and causes significant CO₂ emissions. At the same time around six million tons of plastic waste are generated every year in Germany alone much of which is incinerated resulting in the loss of valuable raw materials and additional CO₂ emissions.

This project aims to develop a high-quality sustainable alternative to carbon black from previously unused plastic waste via a novel plasma pyrolysis process for use as a filler in rubber composites. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary consortium of scientists and prominent German materials manufacturers.

At the INM Leibniz Institute for New Materials the novel carbon material will be analyzed and characterized focusing on particle structure dispersibility and surface chemistry using advanced analytical techniques. The carbon will then be dispersed in elastomers and compared to industrial carbon black references. Dynamical mechanical and electrical testing of the composites as well as accelerated aging studies will provide quantitative performance comparisons.

Your Tasks:

Characterize the morphology and surface chemistry of plasma-derived carbon materials.
Disperse and process carbon materials into polymeric and elastomeric matrices.
Conduct mechanical rheological and electrical testing of composite materials.
Correlate structureproperty relationships using experimental data.
Publishing results in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences.
Supervise and support graduate and undergraduate students.

Your Profile:

Excellent PhD in materials science chemistry physical chemistry or engineering.
Strong experimental skills laboratory precision and data management abilities.
Experience in SAXS rheology TGA gas adsorption or related analytical methods.
Proven publication record in high-quality journals.
Interest in learning new experimental characterization techniques.
Excellent communication skills (written and spoken) in English.

Benefitial:

Programming skills (e.g. Python).
Experience with digital materials science data organization and storage.

We Offer:

A 3-year E13 TV-L 100% contract starting 2025 or 2026 depending on availability.
A dynamic interdisciplinary and international research environment with excellent state-of-the-art infrastructure.
A cooperative friendly and supportive environment with plenty of opportunities to interact with other researchers.
Opportunities for scientific training conference participation and career development.

Applications will be accepted until November 15 2025.

How to Apply:

Please send us the following through the online application system:

Motivation letter
CV (max 2 pages)
Publication list (if available)
Academic transcripts (. . and PhD)
Contact details of 2-3 references

For more information on the institute please see: INM practices an open and appreciative corporate culture in which the existing diversity is promoted and lived. The institute is an equal opportunity employer with a certified family-friendly policy and it provides offers for a better work-life balance flextime and mobile working. We promote professional opportunities for women and strongly encourage them to apply. Full time jobs can be generally divided. Severely disabled applicants with equal qualifications and aptitude will be given preferential consideration.

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority

The INM research group Structure Formation is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to work on sustainable carbon materials derived from plastic waste within MaterialNeutral a newly funded German research initiative.Project Description:Carbon black is an indispensable component of numerous eve...