Description du sujet de thèse

As part of the BIOCAT project funded by the Grand Est Region, the researcher will study the performance of catalysts based on lignocellulosic waste. The project is part of the bioeconomy, proposing an innovative approach to biomass valorization. The main objective is to develop new catalysts to transform renewable resources into high-value-added industrial products. More specifically, the project focuses on the synthesis of carbon materials for the catalytic valorization of bio-sourced molecules. The researcher will establish correlations between catalyst formulation and catalytic properties (activity, selectivity, stability), and will determine the optimal operating conditions for each reaction.

Contexte de travail

This project has a strong multidisciplinary character as its development will require skills from complementary disciplinary fields, namely nanomaterials chemistry, catalysis, and process engineering, while utilizing a wide range of analytical techniques to finely characterize the synthesized catalysts and their application potential. Thus, the multidisciplinary nature of this research project will be a great added value for the training of the young researcher who will carry out these developments.
The project anticipates collaborations with other laboratories in the Nancy cluster and abroad, to promote the valorization of research results and create synergies between partners. A scholarship application will be made to allow the student to undertake internships abroad. The Lorraine Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry (L2CM) will be the main laboratory for the project, and the PhD student will have their office and laboratory based within the L2CM at the Faculty of Sciences and Technologies of the University of Lorraine in Vandoeuvre lès Nancy. Part of their thesis will be carried out in collaboration with the Reactions and Process Engineering Laboratory (LRGP) located on the premises of the National Superior School of Chemical Industries (ENSIC, Nancy). The catalysts prepared by the student at L2CM will be compared to catalysts prepared at LRGP by pyrolysis. Some of the chemical analyses will also be carried out within the LRGP.
As part of the project, the researcher will participate in monthly progress meetings organized between partners, during which they will present their results. If applicable, they will also be expected to participate in thematic schools and national or international conferences to present the results obtained during their contract. The PhD student will be supervised by Dr. Robert Wojcieszak (L2CM) and Dr. Philippe Pierrat (L2CM) and Dr. Yann Le Brech (LRGP). All the necessary equipment for the project is available on site.