PHD POSITION: SEPARATION AND VALORISATION OF MATERIALS FROM PRINTED ON PAPER ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Project objective is to study the end-of-life of electronic devices printed on cellulose based substrates. Within the project the functionalised inks will be separated from cellulose fibers and all recovered fractions will be valorised. The fibers will be processed to produce recycled paper and functionalised materials (metallic nanoparticles, nano-sized semi-conductors …) will be transformed into new materials in a closed-loop recycling manner.

The Ph.D. thesis will be divided into 4 Work Packages. The Ph.D. student will be in charge of:

• selecting the raw materials, i.e. functionalised inks and paper grades to be printed, and producing model printed functionalised devices (WP1),

• separating inks from cellulosic fibers following the traditional paper recycling unit operations (WP2),

• analysing all extracted liquid and solid fractions in order to establish a complete mass balance of the separation process (WP3),

• the separation, recovery and valorisation of all materials (WP4).

All along the PhD, the applicant should perform regular state-of-the-art survey related to the thesis topic. Indeed, this scientific and technological watch is of primary importance within this rapidly developing field where available data are scarce.

Location and practical aspects

During the thesis, the Ph.D student will work under the supervision of Nadège REVERDY-BRUAS and Lenka SVECOVA and will be helped by a multi-disciplinary team involved in this project. His/her working time will be shared between two laboratories located on Grenoble university campus, the Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Science and Graphic Arts (LGP2) and the Electrochemistry and Physico-chemistry of Materials and Interfaces Laboratory (LEPMI). The candidate will also have access to all equipment situated in the two laboratories and to diverse existing platforms located in Grenoble.

Qualifications

The applicant should have a master degree (or equivalent) and a solid background in solution chemistry, analytical chemistry and unit operations. The knowledge of paper and the related unit operations together with printing technologies will be appreciated. The candidate should have a strong aptitude for experimental work and be able to work independently. Writing skills will also be required. An excellent level of English is mandatory. The candidate may not be French-speaking.

He/she will be enroled in the I-MEP2 doctoral school.

Salary

The project is financed by Grenoble INP, the net salary will be approximately 1400 €/month.

Giving lecture will be possible with the permission of the supervisors.

Applications

Please send your CV and a motivation letter to Nadège REVERDY-BRUAS and Lenka SVECOVA. Dead line for applications: 8th of June 2020