Missions

This research position is associated with the development and application of the in-situ and operando gas-assisted Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy experiments to the investigation of gallium doped zeolites under realistic conditions of functioning, in the framework of a CARNOT project, GALOPER. Galoper is a joint project between GPM Rouen and LCS Caen aiming at building up a complete picture of the mechanisms controlling the Gallium oxide behavior within the porous MFI zeolite matrix along the different steps of the catalyst lifetime, i.e., reduction under hydrogen, catalytic reaction with propane, and regeneration under oxygen.
The candidate will be responsible for:
• Define, implement and apply protocols for the characterization of Ga-doped zeolites by Environmental TEM in-situ and operando
• Explore the behavior of catalytic materials under realistic conditions of reaction
• Collaborate closely with the project theorists to interpret experimental results within recent theories related to charge order phenomena.

Activities

The recruited researcher will be in charge with performing the gas assisted in-situ and operando TEM-based characterizations using the Atmosphere Environmental-cell from Protochips, installed on an analytical double corrected TEM, ARM-200CF from the Genesis platform at GPM.
The activities will be :
- Define, set-up and test the experimental protocols for the 2D and 3D investigation of hybrid Ga-oxide/zeolite beam-sensitive materials, in terms of data acquisition and treatment
- Design and adapt the protocols for the in-situ and operando gas assisted essays
- Apply and perform the environmental TEM experiments under realistic conditions of reactions
- Corroborate the TEM results with the findings achieved by complementary techniques (DRIFT, NMR), in the framework of the Galoper project
- Prepare, contribute to scientific publications and present the results in national and international conferences

Skills

- Strong knowledge and/or experience in electron microscopy and data treatment ;
- Interest in the investigation of materials behavior under realistic conditions by using in-situ and operando experimental methodologies for catalysis application ;
- Ability to work in an interdisciplinary environement, notably with other experimentalists and theoreticians;
- Proficiency in written and spoken scientific English; French is an asset;
- Ability to present research results at scientific meetings and conferences

Work Context

The researcher position will be based at the Materials Physics Group of Rouen (GPM-UMR 6634), within the 'Microscopy and Catalysis' team of the 'Thematic Opening and Innovations' Department.
GPM (Materials Physics Group, UMR CNRS 6634) is organized in 5 departments: Metallurgy- Mechanical Microstructures, Scientific Instrumentation, Functional Materials and Nanostructures, Disordered Systems and Polymers, Thematic Openings and Innovations. The GPM has an important instrumental park (3TEMs, 3MEB-FIBs, 5APTs, etc.) for the multiscale characterization of materials. It brings together 140 staff including 60 Researchers, 30 ITA, 50 PhD students/PostDoct and interns. The laboratory is located on the Campus Sciences et Ingénierie Rouen Normandie (in Saint Etienne du Rouvray), within the University of Rouen Normandy and INSA Rouen Normandy.

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

Chemical Treatments, occasionally
Gas handling