Missions

Polymeric materials occupy a central place in our daily lives. Paradoxically, however, the chemical inertia that makes polymer chains so stable is also their main drawback, as they are difficult to recycle. Economic constraints and societal issues will impose a more responsible end-of-life management of polymers, requiring the implementation of rational design and the development of alternative synthesis methods. The recent development of high throughput (HT) methods and artificial intelligence (AI) opens up enormous possibilities to meet these challenges. This project aims to combine these methods, through the implementation of an automated and autonomous platform for polymer synthesis and characterization. The proposed study is part of the DIADEM priority research equipment program (PEPR) on accelerating the discovery of innovative materials (https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/diadem-un-pepr-pour-des-materiaux-innovants). In this context, the objective is to make use of AI and HT methods to design customized polymers for different applications, in a limited time and at minimal cost.

Activités

Setting up a platform of reactors and characterization equipment for continuous flow chemistry
Synthesis of polymers using high throughput techniques and machine learning
Analysis and evaluation of physico-chemical properties of synthesized polymers
Establish a database correlating the structure and properties of polymers
Writing reports and articles

Compétences

Ability in macromolecular synthesis.
Knowledge of polymerization processes
Knowledge of polymer characterization techniques (SEC, DSC, NMR, etc.)
Experience with high throughput techniques
Experience with programming (e.g. Python) and prototyping/automatisation (e.g. Arduino, LabView)
Knowledge of database management software.

Contexte de travail

The Laboratory of Chemistry of Organic Polymers (LCPO) is a joint research unit affiliated to the CNRS, the University of Bordeaux and the Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux (http://www.lcpo.fr). The LCPO is organized into 4 research teams with a total strength of nearly 150 people, including about 50 permanent staff.

With over 30 years of expertise in polymer chemistry, researches at LCPO aim at:
- developing innovative methodologies for precision synthesis of polymers, using in particular biomimetic and/or green chemistry pathways
- designing functional polymer materials by macromolecular engineering and self-assembly, in the fields of renewable materials, health and energy
- establishing strong links with the socio-economy world.
The work of the recruited agent will be carried out in team 1 of the LCPO and at the interface of the 4 LCPO teams.
The proposed study is part of the DIADEM priority research equipment program (PEPR) on accelerating the discovery of emerging materials (https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/diadem-un-pepr-pour-des-materiaux-innovants).
The candidate will have a PhD degree with preferably expertise in Polymer Science.
Team 1 entitled "Catalysts and Polymerization Engineering" is headed by Frédéric Peruch. The team develops alternative synthetic strategies to "tailor-made" polymers with a special emphasis on:
- the design of activation or catalysis systems for highly selective polymerization reactions
- the development of recyclable and bio-inspired catalytic nanoreactors operating in various media, including in water
- the engineering of polymers, nanoparticles or nanostructures for targeted functions and applications.